Renegade Sun
by Skeasel
Summary: My best guess for ME3.  Shepard's back with the Alliance as a Corsair and works to gather allies to face the Reapers, but there are those who have other plans.  Rated M for language, violence, and eventual smut.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all. I just get to play with their characters.

A/N: Thanks to my betas, drakontion and Nevara Alyss, for their assistance and extra pair of eyes, and to Star for brainstorming with me. I think you all may have helped create a monster. FYI, I did not download Kasumi, so she will not be featured.

Chapter 1

_Captain's Personal Log: 0405-2186 C.E._

_We've received orders from Admiral Hackett to put in at Gagarin Station instead of Arcturus. I think he wants us to keep as low a profile as possible, and that might be possible for any other Corsair, but Jump Zero is barely a blip on the ladar anymore. I wonder how subtle we're really going to be. Stealth will only go so far, and a beat-up SR2 is like a glaring sign that just screams attention. Granted she's performing up to spec, but she needs a new paint job in the worst way._

_We've got orders to take on new crew too. Can't say I'm too happy about that, but at least I was able to keep most of my specialists. Jack and Zaeed jumped ship as soon as we landed on Omega, but I wasn't surprised. Zaeed's contract was over and it's not like Cerberus was going to keep paying him after we blew the station. Jack, well, I was surprised she stayed as long as she did. I suspect she's looking to cut loose and have some more fun, but with less suicidal odds. _

_Crew members Millard, Johns, and Hadley have decided to discontinue their service on the Normandy and will disembark once we reach the station. It was surprising that more of the crew didn't choose to depart seeing as how they were under contract with Cerberus. I admit that I'm disappointed, but I understand why they're leaving. Hadley had family on Ferris Fields and Millard hasn't been the same since the Collectors abducted him. Johns never did give a reason, but it's not my place to grill him – I'll leave that to Ms. Chambers._

_I've got additional information on the replacements courtesy of the Shadow Broker. Hackett failed to provide thorough details and their military records only contain the standard bullshit. Apparently, two are highly trained communications specialists. Another is an engineer, specializing in cybernetics and AI. I think I'll get him set up in the lab after I drop Mordin off on Sur'Kesh. The fourth was actually in the N7 program but never graduated and the specific details were left off the Alliance report. I'll be interested to see what the Broker has on him._

_The new specialist that has me the most concerned is Alenko. Granted he did put in his time with the SR1, on Eden Prime, on the Citadel, and he's worked with some of the crew before, but his antagonism toward Cerberus could complicate things. What am I saying? His antagonism toward _me_ has complicated things. Professionally, I agree with his appointment to the Normandy. He has the military skill and political savvy that could be of great use to us, especially in the Corsair program. Personally, it's another matter altogether._

_Every one of my former team members accepted me and my "resurrection" without hesitation. Alenko called me a traitor, and then sent me a piss poor message trying to excuse his reaction on Horizon. I expected more from Kaidan._

A sharp beep sounded from overhead and Shepard looked up with a start.

"Approaching Gagarin Station, Commander." Joker's voice chirruped through the speaker. "ETA in ten minutes."

"I'm on my way." Shepard punched in a quick sequence of buttons, saving the progress on her current log, and flicked the _off_ switch. She stood and stretched out her stiff back, ignoring the sharp pain that still occasionally shot through her side, a memento from her attack on the Collector base. While it had been almost a full month and her wound had healed over, the commander still felt her body's distress, a reminder how close she had come to dying yet again.

The chime sounded softly as she entered the elevator, exiting swiftly upon arriving at the CIC. The familiar flickering glare of the bright lights assaulted her heightened senses and her head began to pound. Shepard huffed, irritated that she did not have enough time to visit Dr. Chakwas.

Yeoman Chambers stood at her post, her normally cheerful demeanor more subdued since her abduction. She opened her mouth to catch Shepard's attention, but the commander brushed past without acknowledging her presence, strides swift and long, anxious to get to Joker's side for their arrival at Jump Zero. It had become tradition that she be up front when they arrive portside.

A tinny voice sounded from the comm. unit as Shepard approached the helm. "Gagarin Station Control to Normandy, we have you on our scope. Prepare to receive docking coordinates."

"Roger that, Control," Joker answered smoothly. "Receiving transmission now."

"Normandy, you are cleared for landing at docking bay 342."

"Affirmative, Control. Adjusting approach vectors."

A stream of instructions rolled down the glowing control panel, scanned and interpreted by EDI. The metal monstrosity that was Jump Zero dominated the observation console, blocking out the weak light from distant stars and shedding a dank shadow. Normandy's gears whined softly and the smooth hum of the engines died down to an inaudible drone. The SR2 shuddered slightly as the docking clamps took hold, securing their berth. The boarding ramp attached to the airlock with a familiar hiss, an air tight seal in place.

"Be advised, Normandy, you have crew awaiting your arrival." The tin voice of the controller sounded hollow in the commander's ears. She gripped Joker's chair for support, an overwhelming torrent of emotion threatening to break her control.

Shepard let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding and looked down to catch Joker's eye. He shrugged nonchalantly, returning his attention to Gagarin Control's docking instructions. The commander pursed her lips, but said nothing. Joker had grown more morose in the last month, his usual humor had diminished and turned sour. It was another reminder that she was not the only one to suffer ill effects from the "suicide mission."

Shepard straightened, ignoring the throbbing pain in her head and the churning of her gut, and turned her attention to the metal reverberations coming down the gangway. Miranda approached the commander and eyed her curiously, but said nothing. Secretly, Shepard was glad that she was present, but her pride would never allow an open admission.

"Staff Commander Alenko and company requesting permission to board, Commander." EDI's synthesized voice cut through the silence in the cockpit and Shepard ignored the growing tightness in her chest. The commander inhaled deeply, tightening her white-knuckled grip on Joker's chair, readying herself for the expected drama to come.

"Permission granted." Her voice was calm despite the raging inferno inside, a testament to her many years of training.

Miranda focused her attention on the airlock doors ahead, her posture rigid and unwelcoming, hands clasped behind her. Shepard found it oddly comforting that Miranda might be just as uncomfortable as she was with the changes in the status quo. Of course Miranda usually seemed rigid and unwelcoming, so it was difficult to truly ascertain her emotional status. Only the slight fluttering of her fingertips betrayed any hint of apprehension.

A series of electronic buzzes accompanied the muffled shuffling of footsteps within the decontamination chamber. Shepard exhaled slowly, and after a short pause, the door hissed open revealing the Normandy's five new crew members.

They stared blankly at first, awkwardly waiting in the cramped compartment, none ready to board without a verbal invite from the CO. Shepard found that she relished their obvious unease, imposing on their discomfort as they had imposed upon her command. It would not be easy at first, given the general nature of their assignment, but these Alliance marines would need to integrate into the Normandy crew. Shepard smiled inwardly as she remembered the quarters in which they were to reside.

"Welcome aboard the Normandy SR2." The empty words dripped from Shepard's lips. She swallowed the catch in her throat and forced herself to continue. "I am Commander Shepard and this is my Chief Operations Officer Miranda Lawson."

Miranda nodded slightly in acknowledgment but remained silent. Shepard felt the urge to growl at her, annoyed with her inability to provide a proper distraction.

"She will show you to your quarters." Eyes, both familiar and foreign sought her attention and Shepard felt her chest tighten once more. She gestured roughly to Miranda, eager to redirect the focus of the marines.

"If you'll follow me please," Miranda's accented voice cut crisply through the air, the attention of all but one of the marines diverted. Staff Commander Alenko tilted his head toward Shepard in acknowledgment, and hefting his bag, followed the rest of his crew into the Normandy's interior.

The commander watched him go, his presence still all too familiar. Joker exhaled loudly beside her, his chair swiveling slowly as he followed her gaze.

"Just when you thought things couldn't get any more complicated…" he quipped.

EDI's blue avatar winked gently into existence. "I do not understand, Jeff. The Alliance crewmembers will replace those individuals who wish to leave, as well as provide insurance that we will continue to receive funding. Data analysis suggests that given the number of current crewmembers previously employed by the Systems Alliance, integration will be relatively swift."

Joker waved off her explanation and turned his chair around, focusing his attention once more on Control's incoming information. Shepard frowned, attempting to ignore EDI, although her rationale was sound. She had no doubt that the marines' integration would be seamless, otherwise she would never have agreed to such a compromise.

The commander took a moment to compose herself once more, prioritizing the duties that required her attention. First things first, however; she needed to review the documents that Liara had secured for her before staffing later today. She had a bit of time to spare, as the marines would need to settle into their quarters, but she imagined they would become restless after a while. Shepard intended to discover everything she could about them before they were allowed access to the rest of the ship. Nobody, no matter their training or familiarity, would wander her ship without her express consent. She needed to settle her nerves and the best way to do that was to bury her attention in dossiers.

A growing ruckus in the CIC drew her attention. A small crowd had gathered around the elevator and Shepard recognized the three men who had decided to end their tour. The commander ambled down the gangway and into the command center, purposely avoiding undue attention in order to observe the good-byes of the crew.

Crewman Hadley spotted her and made his way through the crowd of well-wishers to her side, extending his hand in greeting. Shepard shook it warmly, a soft smile on her face.

"It's been an honor to serve under you, Commander."

Shepard nodded and choked back a memory, the tightness in her chest returning. "I'm sorry you decided to go, Hadley. You'll be missed."

The crewman smiled sadly and shouldered his duffle bag, heading to the cockpit to bid Joker farewell. Crewman Millard approached Shepard next and saluted smartly. Shepard returned the gesture and then extended her hand. Millard pumped it vigorously, but was roughly pushed aside as Crewman Johns brushed hurriedly past them.

"I guess someone's in a hurry," he snorted.

Shepard watched Johns' rapid retreat from the CIC, the fear and anxiety plain on his face and in his wake. She recognized that look and the intensity of his emotion just as well as anyone else on her crew; to act on those emotions, though, had never crossed her mind.

Shepard returned her attention to the man before her. "You've got a home here anytime you decide to come back, Millard."

Millard nodded and smiled but remained silent. He departed; echoes of farewell followed him up the walk and out the airlock, his last mission on the Normandy now complete. Shepard once again adjusted her focus and turned to the matter at hand. She had reports to review.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Bioware owns everything.

Chapter 2

Shepard sifted through the information that Liara had gathered, scrolling down a series of inconsequential ramblings. Neither the communications officers nor the electronics specialist hid any deep and devious secrets. Unfortunately, the commander was now aware that the specialist, Corporal Hanson, was a fan of sensory music and enjoyed romantic inter-species comedy. One half of the communications crew, Serviceman Second Class Georing, broke her arm at age twelve, and apparently later that year, was arrested on suspicion of vandalism after her name appeared spray-painted across twelve pre-fab units bound for distribution. The other crewmember, Serviceman First Class Evans, writes home regularly, enjoys classic musicals from the late twentieth, and freely admits that his favorite color is pink.

Shepard sighed with exhaustion, fingering the OSD that contained Commander Alenko's data. She set it aside in favor of Lt. Young's information, asserting her right to procrastinate. Inserting the disk into her terminal, Shepard watched as a string of information scrolled down the screen. She skimmed the headers, nothing catching her attention until she came upon a line entitled Psychological Evaluation. The commander clicked on the text and scanned the information.

_Psychological Profile: Second Lieutenant Byron Young  
Evaluator: Emma Ishihara Ph.D  
Date of Evaluation: 0714-2183 C.E.  
Evaluation Tools Utilized: Grissom Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 2__nd__ Revision  
Wessler Adult Intelligence Scale  
Ontario Clinical Report III  
Baggins Neurobiological Scan_

_Purpose of Evaluation: Client was referred for Psychological screening after _[RECORD DELETED] _per Admiral _[DATA DELETED]_._

_Behavioral Observations: Client arrived on time for scheduled appointment dressed in casual military garb that he referred to as "navy blues." Client presented as compliant and personable during initial interview and general information gathering; responses were appropriate and succinct, mood appeared even. _

_Medical History: Medical records indicate no prior record of hospitalizations, psychiatric or otherwise since enlistment in the Systems Alliance. Earliest medical records indicate that client was hospitalized in childhood due to enlargement of nodules on the occipital lobes. Nodules were found to be benign, but never removed per report. In December of 2181, Client was treated for a mild case of Mindoirian flu at _[RECORD DELETED] _on an outpatient basis. No additional treatments were received. Client reports that he is in good health at today's evaluation._

_General History: Military records indicate that the client, Lt. Byron Young, joined the Systems Alliance Marine Corps during a recruitment mission in May of 2178. Client promoted to Second Lieutenant on June 8, 2183 after a skirmish on asteroid _[RECORD DELETED]_. Client, as well as military records, indicate that he participated in the N7 program but subsequently withdrew due to "personal issues" per client report. Client does not specify as to the reasons surrounding his withdrawal at this time. Military records cite incident _[RECORD DELETED] _which played a heavy role in potential recruitment._

_Client reports little surrounding his childhood and upbringing. Records indicate that he was raised on Earth by his father who worked at the biotech company _[DATA DELETED] _now defunct. No data on client's biological mother and client reports no additional knowledge of her. _

_Test Results: Client appeared to respond to test questions in a consistent manner, with slight elevations on scales K and M, indicative of defensive responding. While results appear valid, reliability of reporting is questionable. Upon examination of scales 4 and 5, client presents as _X##[DATA CORRUPTION]00%?/_ing a tendency toward hostility._

_Results of intellectual testing indicate that the client appears to display above average intellectual functioning, based on verbal and quantitative scores. The client's combined scores fall approximately two standard deviations above the mean, the only statistical outlier related to _[DATA DELETED].

_Examination of the Baggins Neurobiological Scan results indicate that the client has the potential for _[RECORD DELETED].

_Diagnostic Impressions:_

_Axis I: _[DATA DELETED]_  
Axis II: _[DATA DELETED]_  
Axis III: No medical issues of note at this time per client and medical record report.  
Axis IV: Psychosocial stressors related to recent death of father, occupational stressors related to  
military involvement in _[DATA DELETED].

_Results Summary: Client presents as well mannered and personable, but displays opportunistic and aggressive traits based on _[RECORD DELETED]. _While client displays _[DATA DELETED]_, care should be taken when involving him in command decisions without additional training._

_For additional information or questions regarding the evaluation, please feel free to contact me at _[RECORD DELETED].

Shepard set down the data pad, chewing her lip in thought. Eyeing Alenko's OSD nervously, she chose to ignore it for the time being, and instead sent another message to Liara regarding the missing information. It was highly likely, given their recent foray into the galactic core that a problem with communications had occurred.

"Ms. Lawson requested that I remind you of the staffing this afternoon, Commander." EDI's synthesized voice filled the cabin, pulling Shepard's attention from her task.

An odd mixture of relief and anxiety flooded her veins. Shepard would be able to put off examining his OSD, but she'd have to face Alenko at the meeting. "Thank you EDI. I'm on my way."

O o O o O o O

Commander Shepard ran her hands along the plush fabric of her chair, secretly thanking the streak of brilliance Miranda demonstrated when she had requisitioned chairs for the briefing room. Since the quantum entanglement array had been dismantled, and the table refitted, the option to actually sit down during a staffing was a rather desirable notion. Shepard found the comfort a welcome distraction as Miranda updated the rest of the crew on the Normandy's status.

"Commander?"

Shepard shifted in her seat, the cushions conforming to the contours of her body. She glanced over at Miranda who looked at her expectantly. Picking up her data pad, Shepard briefly skimmed the stream of information, sterile charts and graphs dotting the continuous feed.

"Garrus, are the repairs on the main battery holding?"

"Yes, Commander. While the guns didn't overload our systems, they did a number on the 84X couplings. They're still working for the most part, but we'll need to replace them before engaging any more ships."

"Put in a requisitions order, Garrus. I want the Normandy up to snuff."

"Is there some reason why we didn't complete repairs at Jump Zero?" Jacob asked as he twirled a data pad restlessly.

"The Alliance didn't have the parts we required," Garrus answered. "Plus I don't want anyone else touching my guns." His mandibles twitched as he did his best to ignore the tension in the room. Shepard scanned her data pad again, irritated with herself for postponing the inevitable. Miranda still looked at her expectantly, and Shepard repressed a sigh of annoyance; she couldn't put off his introduction any longer.

"Everyone, I believe you know Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko." She had been able to say his name without a single tremor in her voice and smiled inwardly at her small accomplishment. "He will be joining us for an indeterminate amount of time as the Alliance liaison."

Kaidan nodded in acknowledgement, doing his best to maintain a professional demeanor, but avoided Shepard's gaze. Across the table Jacob snorted derisively.

"Since when does the Alliance give a damn about us?"

"Yeah, Alenko," muttered Garrus. "Nice of you to finally show up."

Similar murmurs of discontent echoed softly throughout the room, and Shepard held up her hand for silence. "Commander Alenko's appointment to the Normandy was ordered by Admiral Hackett. He's here as a liaison, to assist us with our mission; nothing more."

The words were out before she realized their meaning, but the commander held her tongue. Kaidan flicked a pained gaze her way. Discomfort ghosted across his face and he directed his attention toward the group.

"So what happens if you were to just disappear?" Jacob asked.

"You wouldn't get paid," Alenko answered bluntly. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, the only sign of nerves that Shepard recognized. He hadn't changed much in the intervening years, a few more scars with a slightly harder edge, but he still seemed to resonate with controlled calm.

She pulled her attention away and turned to Jacob. "Do you have anything to report Mr. Taylor, or would you like to alienate our new back-up some more?"

He shook his head slowly, fidgeting with his data pad. "No ma'am."

"Tali, do you have anything to report?" Shepard tried to force the impatience from her voice, but she was itching to return to her cabin and escape this disaster of a meeting. She couldn't believe she had been naïve enough to think that these weekly staffings were a good idea.

"We need to replace our transponder signal. I haven't been able to reprogram it. The Normandy will still be flagged as Cerberus until it's taken care of." Tali's hand moved in a blur as she brought up the data in her omni-tool. "The Fleet should have some spare parts we could use to alter ours; old ID transponders are the one thing we have in abundance. Plus I've received some reports regarding the information we obtained on Haestrom. I'd like to examine the results."

Shepard nodded in understanding. "Send me their new coordinates. We'll head there as soon as we're able."

Tali inclined her head respectfully, the yellow glow of her omni-tool disappearing beneath the table's edge. Shepard examined the group, waiting for someone to speak up. Silence reigned amidst the impatient tension and the commander could stand it no longer.

"Mordin has requested leave to contact his associates within the STG. We'll be dropping him off on Sur'Kesh within the next twenty-four hours. Liara has his contact information and both of them will be updating us with regular reports. Samara will also be leaving us to return to the Asari home world. She will be attempting to find information on the rachni's whereabouts. Liara has agreed to assist and will be using her contacts to search for the queen."

"She is an Asari Matriarch." Miranda added thoughtfully. "Can't we use that to our advantage?"

Shepard nodded. "She had mentioned something about the Asari legislature. Apparently, even Asari politicians revere Justicars, but I need her on the hunt. Samara is one of the best trackers I've ever met, and if anyone can find the rachni, or the queen's agent, it's her."

"That will leave us short two specialists, Commander." Miranda sifted through the reams of data on her pad, her lips pursed in thought. "Why don't we utilize Corporal Hanson?"

"My thoughts exactly," Shepard stated, and turned her attention toward Kaidan. "Commander Alenko, inform Corporal Hanson that he is to set up shop in the lab as soon as Dr. Solus has departed. I'm sure he'll be interested in the tech that we gathered from the Collector base."

"Yes, Ma'am," he stated, the stiffness in his voice betraying a hint of discomfort.

"I am also planning on returning to Tuchanka to catch up with Wrex. I have a feeling Krogan brawn might be necessary in the near future."

"Of course, Commander." Miranda punched in a quick sequence of data.

"Garrus, I'm also going to need you to get in touch with your contacts in the turian military and C-sec – see what intel you can gather."

Garrus' mandibles twitched again. "I don't know what I'll be able to dig up. C-sec wasn't exactly thrilled with my resignation, but I'll see what I can do, Commander."

"Good. Does anyone else have other business to discuss?" Shepard surveyed the room, the air of silent discomfort palpable. "Very well then; we're done here."

The sound of metal squealing against metal reverberated throughout the room as chairs were pushed back. Clothing rustled and footsteps sounded as the group made toward the exit. Shepard stood slowly, waiting for the others to leave and enjoying the feel of tension as it drained from her system. Her respite was cut short, however, when she noticed Commander Alenko still seated and waiting patiently for her attention.

"Is there something you need, Commander?" She turned her eyes from him, attempting to focus instead on the data pad in front of her.

"I thought we should talk." His voice was even, filled with the smoky timbre she remembered so well.

"We have nothing to discuss right now. You have you orders, Commander." She strode into the hall and exited swiftly before he could respond, only remembering to breathe when the doors hissed shut.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Thanks to my betas for your help, and to everyone who's keeping up with the story. Hopefully I'll be able to keep you entertained.

Chapter 3

The green orb of Sur'Kesh dominated the view from the cockpit, its lush surface intermittently punctuated by bastions of civilization. Brilliant flickers of light soared through the sky, the air to ground traffic heavier than usual for this time of year.

Shepard stood silently, enjoying the quiet as Joker maneuvered into the space lane. Dr. Solus was animated and active by his very nature, and Shepard could feel his excitement. Mordin stood next to her, his nervous energy filling the small space as he fidgeted, and she wondered at his current state. She didn't think it had been that long since he had been home, but salarians seemed to perceive time differently than other races.

"Ground Control to Normandy, we have you on approach. Change course to 221, approach vector alpha. Prepare for docking at bay 21."

"Affirmative Control," Joker acknowledged, his hands a flurry of motion as he adjusted course to match. Their approach was smooth and flawless, effortlessly avoiding the snags usually associated with atmospheric interference during entry.

As the haze cleared, Shepard drew in a deep breath, surprised at the beauty of the salarian home world. Stunning architecture dotted the landscape, melding seamlessly with the lush greenery beyond. The salarian structures appeared to be organic in nature, instead of the clunky metal monstrosities that blanketed Earth. Rounded platforms protruded from elevated structures, lit in bright orange patterns signaling entry. The Normandy veered right and slowly descended, their assigned docking bay coming into view.

The natural light dimmed as they entered the oval canopy, the hum of the engines dying as the Normandy powered down. The SR2 shuddered slightly when the docking clamps made contact, securing them into position, and Shepard looked to Mordin. He held a small bag lightly in his grip, his eyes on the airlock as the boarding ramp moved into place. His usual hyperactive demeanor was energized by his return, a homecoming that had eluded him in years past.

Control relayed instructions to Joker as Shepard turned from the helm. Her shore party had not yet arrived and she was not feeling especially patient today. The commander strode into the CIC as Garrus exited the elevator, securing his weapon into place with alacrity. Alenko was not far, caught in conversation with Ms. Chambers. Shepard felt a twinge of jealousy and the air about her seemed to compress. Shepard tried to approach casually, curious as to what the two could possibly have to talk about.

"That would be interesting," she heard Alenko say, although his tone suggested otherwise.

"Yes, most definitely. I would love to pick your brain and explore the cognitive-behavioral compulsions behind your motivations." Her chipper voice echoed through the CIC and Shepard almost laughed at the helpless look Kaidan shot her.

"Perhaps later, Ms. Chambers," Shepard interjected, endeavoring to sound normal. The tightness in her chest had not abated. "Commander Alenko's presence is required at the moment."

Alenko shot her a brief look of gratitude, but then just as quickly it was gone as his face closed over. He nodded politely to Kelly and extricated himself from her attentions, adjusting the fit of his armor as they approached the airlock with Garrus in tow.

Mordin had been waiting for them as patiently as a salarian with his metabolic rate was able, his restless pacing nearly driving Joker to distraction.

"We've got clearance from control and lights are green across the board, Commander."

"Nice work, Joker," she stated, adjusting the fit of the holster on her hip. "Keep an eye on things while I'm out."

He swiveled around in his chair, once more facing the myriad of controls that adorned the console. "You bet, Commander."

The party of four exited the sterile boarding ramp, the warmth of Sur'Kesh's vibrant summer breezes caressing their faces. The air was sticky and damp, the moisture spread by thermals rising up from nearby rivers. Shepard inhaled deeply, the fresh air filled with alien spice and exotic sweetness. It was intoxicating. She made a mental note to revisit the planet if ever she was granted shore leave again.

The group moved swiftly through the space port, Customs only a slight hiccup along the way thanks to Mordin's intervention and Shepard's Spectre status. She had no intention of leaving her weaponry with station security forces. Despite all her armor, the commander would feel naked without her guns.

They followed Mordin's rapid pace through the throngs of biological traffic, the crowds parting for the armed visitors as they made their way to a traffic terminal. Mordin punched in a seemingly random sequence of buttons and hailed a cab. Shepard took a moment to examine her surroundings.

A series of brightly colored vehicles swooped in and out of the terminal, the automated cabs disappearing into a tangle of traffic while salarian commuters paced restlessly as they waited for their ride. The terminal was filled with a riot of color and activity as conversations blurred, the unintelligible noise juxtaposed with the peace and calm outside. Animated security personnel paced rapidly to and fro, ensuring the security of the port, while all manner of hurried assistants and executives brushed past.

The platform on which her group waited was open to the air, the soft, warm breeze wafting lazily within and around them. The view beyond was one of serenity as the organic curves of the city meandered across the land, mimicking the line of a great river that bisected the city. A plethora of bird-like creatures fluttered to and fro, interspersed with the air traffic, their alien cries barely heard of the whine of engines. Shepard found the sight surprisingly relaxing, forgetting the reality of her situation for the moment, and almost failing to recognize their cab as it approached.

She waited while Garrus and Alenko piled into the back, Garrus grumbling slightly as he tried to comfortably fit his tall form inside. Mordin slid in effortlessly and Shepard followed, adjusting her seat to give Garrus extra room in the cramped confines.

The cab lifted off abruptly, the engines whining as it soared into the sky. The scenery passed in a blur, greens, blues, and browns melding into one as the cab hurried to the programmed destination. Within minutes an electronic beep sounded, signaling the group, and Mordin accessed the console.

"Destination approaching shortly. Be ready to exit."

Shepard felt her stomach lurch as the cab descended swiftly onto a lighted platform. Crowds were fewer here, and the mood less frantic. The commander unbuckled her harness and exited the cab, standing to face an unremarkable brown building that Mordin had told her was one of many military intelligence installations.

As they approached the entrance, Shepard noticed a familiar face waiting for their arrival by the doors. He was dressed simply in loose trousers, a bright red tunic complimenting the green shade of his skin. Shepard smiled in recognition and approached Captain Kirrahe. He extended his hand awkwardly toward the commander attempting to perform the human greeting. Shepard inclined her head respectfully in the salarian manner, then shook his hand firmly.

"It is good to see you, Commander Shepard." His voice was clipped yet soft. "I'm glad to hear that the reports of your death were exaggerated." Shepard glanced surreptitiously at Garrus, his mandibles fluttered with humor. Kirrahe turned his attention to Mordin and greeted him amiably, the two of them falling into the old rhythms once common between the former comrades.

"Captain Kirrahe," Mordin chirped. "Appreciate you answering my request. Have much we must discuss."

Kirrahe nodded but said nothing, instead turning and leading their group into the plain structure. Shepard followed him through oval corridors, the décor sparse save for dual strings of light on either side of the walkway. He slowed as they approached a door and punched in a combination of numbers. A slight hiss stirred Shepard's senses as the door slid open, the restless air filling her nostrils.

Mordin strode inside as Kirrahe gestured to the rest of the group. "Enter, please."

Shepard entered a simple room dominated by an enormous oval conference table. Each end was lit by a glowing computer console, the current output projecting an information scroll similar to the display on a data pad. Shepard followed Mordin to the far end of the table, a slight unease in her gut as she gazed at unfamiliar salarian faces. Kirrahe sidled up next to her and began the introductions.

"Commander Shepard, may I present key members of the STG, the most talented and influential that we have to offer." The captain gestured grandly toward the other salarians in the room and Mordin snorted. Perhaps he had been correct in his assertion that Kirrahe shared traits akin to cloacae.

Shepard inclined her head respectfully and gestured to Mordin. "Go to it, Doctor."

Mordin nodded curtly and began pacing to and fro, uploading the information on his omni-tool to the nearby console. He marched to the control panel and punched up the data with the natural speed of his race. The center display hummed with energy as a large holographic diagram winked into existence. Mordin frowned in concentration.

"Collector base in galactic core. Now defunct. Home to modified Prothean race, now destroyed. Site of human colonial abductions. Possible staging ground for Reaper invasion." His speech was rapid, even for a salarian. He paused, briefly, giving the other members of the group time to absorb his words.

A flick of his wrist and he adjusted his tool. The projection of the conical base turned into a series of planets, rotating softly in an eerie yellow glow. "Zanetha. Laban. Joab. Etamis. Bothros. All suffered planetary bombardment from dreadnaught class weapon. Traces of extinct advanced civilizations found on each. Suspect evidence of Reaper involvement. Harvest. Attack."

Shepard watched the salarians digest Mordin's theories, their faces lit by the yellow glow of the projection, causing them to look sallow and unhealthy. She shifted warily on her feet.

"And what do you propose we do with this information?" Shepard did not recognize the salarian who spoke.

"Ahh, Lt. Meaen Chavin. First in your graduating class. Known for failed reconnaissance on Urdak moon XR327." He clucked his tongue in admonishment. "Surprised you're here."

Lt. Chavin stiffened, but said nothing. Mordin continued, unabated. "Information just starting point. Can build on what we know. Reapers will come again, but time and place unknown. Must prepare."

Shepard studied the group of salarians as the information poured out of Mordin, his pace the same tempo as his staccato speech. She knew he had a respectable reputation among the STG and recognized that respect in their eyes even if his methods were considered questionable at times. She had come to trust him implicitly, and when he had suggested returning home to rally the salarian forces, Shepard had agreed wholeheartedly.

The meeting appeared to go smoothly, Mordin's continuous flow interrupted by the occasional inquiry or clarification. The members of the STG were direct and thoughtful in their questioning, as curt and succinct in speech as Mordin was with his answers. It wasn't until he turned off his omni-tool, disconnecting from the console and throwing the room into shadow that Shepard began to relax.

"Very good," stated Kirrahe as he adjusted the lighting. "We will review the data and continue from there."

Shepard inclined her head yet again. "Mordin will stay to assist you and act as my liaison."

A guttural sigh escaped from Kirrahe as he shot her a surprised look. "He will not return with you?"

Shepard shook her head as Garrus and Alenko shifted behind her. "Mordin has agreed to stay on Sur'Kesh and assist me from here. He has experience with both Collector and Reaper technology and will be a valuable asset to the STG." _And_ _I'm not leaving all this intel behind without a safeguard_, she thought.

The commander saw him nod in understanding, certain that he had caught her meaning. She also suspected that the STG had quite a thick file on her and was certain she could use her perceived infamy in order to achieve her ends. After all, she might as well use her notoriety for something.

"Very good, Commander," Kirrahe said again, his voice resigned. "We will be in contact."

The other members of the STG shuffled out, leaving Mordin and the group alone in the room. He fidgeted with his omni-tool briefly, and then looked to Shepard.

"Possibility of inaction. Will pursue goal, forcefully if necessary."

Shepard nodded in agreement. She had sensed the same hesitation as Mordin and memories of Saren's pursuit flooded her mind. The Council had chided her, questioned her sanity, and blocked her at every turn. Reliving those events was not on her agenda.

"Kirrahe pulled through for us on Virmire." Shepard stated.

Alenko shifted uncomfortably beside her. "That was different, Commander," he said, a faraway look in his eye. "He didn't have much choice in the matter back then. Now he does."

"With all due respect, Commander," Shepard smiled sadly, "he still doesn't have much of a choice."

"Virmire wasn't exactly a pleasure cruise, Commander," Garrus added. "We may be asking too much of them this time."

"STG are not cowards. Tend to work methodically, thoroughly. Will come around in time." Mordin huffed. "Or not."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Thanks to drakontion for putting up with my chapter bombardment and to the lovely people at KAAS/KAST for your feedback and delicious sense of humor.

Chapter 4

Living aboard a starship and frolicking across the galaxy no longer held the appeal for Commander Shepard that it once did. Alliance recruitment posters had plastered her face across a backdrop of sparkling stars, the scrolling caption beneath a testament to the deception that was propaganda. It was a far cry from the dull realities of space travel.

Shepard was in the cockpit once again. She eyed the dark planet of Thessia, which was colored by countless glittering lights on the nighttime surface. Joker's hands skirted over the controls while EDI's blue avatar drenched the helm in shades of blue. They were docked at one of the many stations orbiting the asari home world, as shuttle traffic to the surface had been limited due to some sort of festival.

The commander grumbled irritably as Joker fussed beside her. The CO2 scrubbers had malfunctioned earlier in the day and the air was stale and flat. Joker had made the situation infinitely worse after arguing with the station's traffic controller. They had been stuck in port and unable to disembark for the last three hours, jumping at every alert and electronic flash in the hope that it would signal their ticket out. As it stood, however, the Normandy and her crew were effectively immobilized.

"I told you not to call her that."

Joker mumbled something unintelligible under his breath. "Well it's true."

"Joker," Shepard pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. "Calling the traffic controller a 'vertically challenged squid' is not the way you handle the asari."

"So you know how to handle asari? Is there something you're not telling me, Commander?"

Shepard was glad to hear some of his old humor returning, but she didn't need to see lecherous smile that broke across Joker's face. She gave him her best Commander glare, but he had grown immune to it in the preceding months. Shaking his head he swiveled in his chair and attempted to contact traffic control once more with little luck.

"Are we to stay on board until the night cycle ends?"

Shepard turned to find Samara approaching the helm, her calm demeanor masking her footsteps. She was dressed in her usual attire, armored in what Shepard guessed was standard for a Justicar. She had little knowledge of the order other than what Samara had shared and regretted that she did not have the time to learn more.

"Control claims that there's a mechanical failure – the gears on the boarding ramp shorted out and they're trying to replace them." Shepard recognized a lame excuse when she heard one and glared again at Joker.

"If I may," Samara elegantly maneuvered past Shepard and activated the comm. panel, Joker doing his best to avert his roaming eyes as she leaned down next to him. "Normandy to traffic control. This is the Justicar Samara requesting permission to board."

There was a burst of static before a startled female voice answered. "Permission granted, Normandy. Welcome to Orbital Station 67B."

_Son of a bitch! _Shepard sighed in resignation. W_hy didn't I think of that?_

Samara touched her shoulder gently, a pleasant smile on her face. "Shall we depart?"

Joker glanced over his shoulder at Shepard, the familiar mischievous smirk on his face. "Embrace eternity for me!"

O o O o O o O

The station radiated calm and Shepard inhaled the clean air, grateful for once to be off the Normandy. Foot traffic was at a minimum, and small crowds populated the various cafés and glowing alcoves that dotted the interior. Cowled priestesses in flowing white linens wandered the serene corridors carrying floral wreaths in gloved hands. The commander marveled at their grace, a trait common to the asari race, but seemingly personified in these women. Shepard glanced at Samara questioningly as she guided them down the halls.

"They celebrate Janiris, the springtime fertility ritual honoring the new year to come."

Shepard bit back another question as she remembered Samara's daughters. "Oh," she said lamely and felt Miranda stiffen behind her.

Samara smiled in understanding as they passed a particularly beautiful fountain, the sheen of the waters trickling into a pool of sapphire. "Do not trouble yourself on my account. I celebrate the rites as any other asari, as do my daughters."

Shepard nodded slowly, ignoring the tightness in her chest. She could almost feel Miranda's discomfort and shifted her focus toward the cavernous halls of the legislature. While Shepard was familiar with the asari democratic process, she had never imagined she would become involved in it. The commander had counted on Samara in order to gain entry, although she wasn't sure how influential her Spectre status would be. She was about to find out.

A statuesque woman clad in simple orange robes greeted them formally.

"Welcome Justicar Samara. I am Kalee A'Tal, the legislative forum moderator. We have been expecting you."

Samara inclined her head and gestured to her party. "I bring with me Commander Shepard, Captain of the Normandy and Council Spectre, and her Operations officer Miranda Lawson."

The moderator's stoic face darkened in disapproval.

"I thought that the asari government was an electronic democracy moderated by VI's. What is it that you do here?" Shepard ignored the haughty glare Kalee shot her.

"I oversee the forums, maintain the VI interface, and manage Matriarchal debate and discussion while the polls are open." She frowned, an ugly line creasing her brow.

"Ah." The commander rolled her shoulders as if bored. "I see."

"Do you?"

Samara stepped forward slightly and the air around her cooled. "You will show respect for my companions, Moderator."

If possible, the crease on her brow deepened. "You cooperate with the woman who murdered our beloved Benezia and name her 'companion'? What shame you must feel."

Shepard crossed her arms, shifting her weight in growing irritation. "Well, if it makes you feel any better I had a good reason."

Miranda stifled a snort as the asari moderator's jaw dropped. "You insult our traditions and spread your violent filth about! How _dare_ you assume to involve yourself in our affairs?"

"Peace, Moderator," Samara said. "You forget yourself."

"No, Justicar. I only speak the truth. I was willing to allow you access to the legislative proceedings, but not if you continue to tow around this human mutt."

Shepard bristled at the insult as Samara stepped forward again, her body calm amidst rippling blue waves.

"I am both Justicar and Matriarch. You will allow me access to the legislative forums or I will be compelled to act as the Code demands."

Kalee blanched slightly but continued to scowl at Shepard. "Very well, Justicar. But the Spectre will not be allowed to accompany you."

"Now wait just a moment," Shepard protested, but Samara held up her hand to forestall further objection.

"Shepard, the moderator has agreed to arrange for my participation in the forums. It is enough."

The commander eyed Samara, processing the potential entanglements related to this latest outcome. "Are you sure there is nothing more I can do for you?"

Samara shook her head. "I am used to being on my own, Shepard. This is where I can be of most use to you."

She nodded grudgingly, aware that the Justicar was correct. "Is there anything you need before we leave?"

Samara watched the moderator move away, her haughty demeanor undiminished as she entered the legislative halls. "Thank you, Shepard, but no. I have all that I will need."

Pursing her lips she nodded. "I'll be looking forward to your report. Let me know what you find."

Samara inclined her head respectfully, the familiar peaceful smile on her face. "I will be in touch - and Shepard?"

The commander met her eyes. "Yes?"

"Thank you for not resorting to violence."

Shepard cocked her head to the side and smiled playfully. "We can always change that."

O o O o O o O

"So you decided to use Samara's Matriarchal status after all?"

Shepard shook her head at Miranda as they traveled through the station's halls. "She wanted to have a chance to address the Republic before starting her investigation and get in touch with her old contacts, since she's been out of asari space for a while."

Miranda remained silent, seeming to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. She appeared to have relaxed somewhat since their meeting with the moderator, but Shepard could tell by the stiffness in her stride that she was still uncomfortable. The cowled priestesses still flitted through the sparse crowds and distributed wreaths to various passers-by. The commander did her best to avoid their attention, not willing to take the chance that she and Miranda would be crowned with flowers. Her attempts at circumvention were abandoned, however, when an asari approached.

"Commander Shepard?" She asked hesitantly.

"Do I know you?"

The asari smiled brilliantly, indigo eyes flashing in the soft light. "It _is_ you. My name is Kalara Tomi. We met on the citadel – Zakera Ward – and you gave me some IDs so my friend and I could return home."

Shepard returned the smile as she filtered through her memory. "I'm glad to see you were able to make it back."

Kalara nodded vigorously. "Oh yes, I was able to return just in time for my bond-mate's arrival. We had planned a lavish ceremony to celebrate our union, but decided against it since Alluvion ale is so hard to come by these days. We kept it small and intimate, and that way there would be enough ale for everyone."

Shepard nodded, feigning interest while Miranda did her best not to look bored.

"I just don't understand why I was flagged for potential geth infiltration." Kalara shook her head in memory and frowned. "I've never even seen a geth."

"Well I'm glad things worked out for you. We really should be go-"

"Oh I'm sorry!" Her voice was rushed and seemed to jump up an octave. "Please, let me at least repay you for your help."

Shepard glanced at Miranda who shrugged. "Um, okay?"

Kalara flashed a smile and gestured to a nearby café. "This little shop carries the best wine on the station."

The trio traveled a short distance to the quaint bistro, decorated with colorful floral wreaths in celebration of Janiris. Shepard glanced at Miranda, but she looked unfazed.

"Please do sit." Kalara gestured to a small circular table. Shepard and Miranda obeyed while Kalara ordered drinks at the counter.

"She's acting too nice. You think she's going to poison us?" Miranda asked apathetically.

"One can only hope," the commander snorted.

Shepard held her tongue as Kalara approached with two glasses of wine. "Asari honey mead," she announced, "in thanks for helping me."

The commander smiled tightly, suppressing a grimace. "Thank you, Kalara."

The asari flashed another brilliant smile. "You're very welcome, Commander. I would stay to join you, but my shuttle back to Thessia is departing at the start of the next cycle."

"That's a shame."

Kalara nodded again. "You two enjoy your drinks. And stay safe out there."

Miranda watched the asari disappear into the crowd and shot Shepard an irritated look. "You meet the strangest people."

"At least we got free drinks out of it," the commander quipped.

Miranda nodded in agreement, tasting her wine. "It _is_ good."

The two women sipped on their glasses in silence, the mellow bouquet tantalizing their tongues. Shepard watched the light flow of asari pass by, a sprinkling of color amidst a sea of blue. The sight was rather hypnotizing, and for a time, the commander let herself relax.

"You're not going to believe this." Miranda paused in her movements, glass midway to her lips.

Shepard stiffened in response to Miranda's tone. "What is it?"

"Another asari is coming our way."

Shepard slid her hand down to her holster, fingering the latch that held her sidearm in place. "Is she hostile?"

A rare look of uncertainty crossed Miranda's face. "I'm not sure."

The commander slid her cannon out of the holster, its presence barely hidden underneath the small tabletop. The brief adrenaline rush had pooled in her gut, and Shepard surveyed the small café for cover. The act was unnecessary, as she saw Miranda relax slightly, the soft glow of her biotics barely visible.

"Commander Shepard? I'm surprised to find you here."

Shepard turned toward the voice and felt tense energies abate. "Matriarch Aethyta? I'm surprised to see you here."

"What, in a bar?"

The commander holstered her gun and chuckled. She did tend to run into random people in very random locations. The galaxy sometimes seemed to be a very small place. Shepard gestured to a nearby seat. "Join us. Please."

Aethyta inclined her head and pulled the chair over. "I should've known I'd find you drinking wine since you drained all of mine."

"I had good reason."

"Oh yeah?" Aethyta motioned to the bartender who brought over another glass. "And what was that?"

"You dealt with Conrad. That man _drives_ a woman to drink."

Aethyta cackled loudly. "I really, _really_ wanted to slap his ass with a singularity."

"I hear that." Shepard shook her head at the memory and took another sip of wine. "So what brings you back to Thessia?"

"I needed a break - got fed up with the rich snobs on Illium. They piss and moan about every little thing. Just because I serve drinks doesn't mean I want to hear their problems. Isn't that a human thing?"

Shepard shrugged. "In some places it is."

"I'll tell you what, though; those investors are a shady bunch." She took a sip of her drink and eyed the commander. "Apparently, dark energy is all the craze now, and the price of eezo is skyrocketing because of it."

Shepard shared a look with Miranda. "I had heard something similar before. You think it's just a passing fad?"

"Who knows with this bunch," Aethyta snorted.

"So you came home to visit family then?" Miranda attempted to redirect the conversation.

"Honestly I thought I'd try my hand at politics again – the whole 'honored advisor' thing." She downed the rest of her drink and looked pointedly at Shepard. "I heard there was a slight confrontation in the legislative halls not too long ago. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that?"

Shepard smiled innocently and took another drink. She opened her mouth to speak, but paused when she recognized three of her crew. Alenko, Hanson, and Serviceman Evans had entered the small café oblivious of the fact that their commanding officer was sitting not five feet from them. The ignorance did not last long, however. As soon as Evans ordered his drink, he caught Shepard's eye and flushed bright red. Alenko motioned him to sit down at a nearby table and approached the commander.

"Taking the crew out for a stroll, Alenko?"

He shot her a familiar half smile and Shepard ignored the sudden catch in her throat. "I just thought they could use some fresh air – fresher air. They've been working on the CO2 scrubbers all day."

"Oh?" The commander took another sip of her wine, but realized too late that there was none left. She pushed the offending glass away. "What were Ken and Gabby doing?"

"Tali had Ken help her adjust the transponder signal. From the sound of it, she didn't have any luck. Gabby was working on the scrubbers with Evans and Hanson, but she didn't want to join us portside."

"Oh," Shepard said lamely. She'd been spouting lame statements a lot lately.

Commander Alenko rubbed his neck as silence descended, standing awkwardly in front of the three women. "Was there something else you needed Shep – Commander?"

She looked at Miranda who shook her head. "No, Alenko. That will be all."

He nodded. Shepard thought she saw a flash of regret in his eyes as he turned to leave, but quickly dismissed the thought. The commander's musings were interrupted, however, when she noticed Aethyta, and she hid her smile. The Matriarch turned in her chair, her gaze following Alenko to the other table.

"Nice ass."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, drakontion, for her help. Also, thanks to everyone who's followed along so far. I promise this is going somewhere. As always, feel free to post your thoughts, comments, etc.

Chapter 5

_Captain's Personal Log: 0425-2186 C.E._

_I updated Admiral Hackett on our progress. He believes the Normandy should put in at the Citadel immediately, but I'm not ready yet. There are too many variables still unidentified, and I've still got too much to do. I'm not near ready enough to see the Council, especially when I know they'll want proof of the upcoming invasion. I'm not going to take the risk that I'll get grounded again just because some bureaucrat doesn't think there's enough red tape._

_On a good note, the ship's still holding together and the CO2 scrubbers are functional again. Garrus got his couplings and nobody touched his guns, but Tali's still having trouble with that damn transponder ID. Gabby seems to be warming to two of our newest crewmembers, one in particular; Corporal Hanson has a thorough understanding of engineering and Gabby likes her engines. Not quite sure what Ken thinks yet._

_Thane remains in medical until Dr. Chakwas clears him for duty. I was down to see him earlier and he appeared to be his usual stoic self. Grunt has been busy studying Earth history, mainly historical battles and tactics. He cornered me yesterday in the elevator and grilled me on my opinion regarding the battle of Marathon. I recommended a few extranet sites depicting the difference in Persian and Greek strategies in graphic detail and he left me alone. That krogan sure likes his violence._

_The new Alliance crewmembers seem to be adjusting well, and the tension among the crew has dissipated somewhat, but Alenko and Young still stick out like sore thumbs. I'm not sure what to think of Young, and Alenko's been avoiding me like the plague. Miranda suspects he's feeding Hackett information about our tech since there've been a few recent breaches in our security systems. EDI wasn't able to give us any useful information so I've asked Miranda and Legion to look into it. I doubt he would do something like that, but who knows how much he's changed in the last three years?_

Commander Shepard sat back from her terminal and stretched languidly. She had been reviewing reports for hours before stopping to journal, and slouched drowsily in her seat. Propping her head against the back of her chair she stared vacantly up at the ceiling, the soft blue glow of the empty fish tank dulling her thoughts. She was overdue for a break.

Her thoughts drifted lazily, shifting through missions past. Shepard had been lucky so far, she knew that; skill wasn't the end all, be all of success. She was gambling on this mission – with the Reapers, with the Council…with Alenko. She sighed heavily. Shepard wasn't quite sure what to make of him anymore.

Gunny would've laughed at her situation, and she smiled in remembrance of her old sergeant. That gruff bastard would've had a few choice words for her right now. Too bad he wasn't around anymore. She could really use a good kick in the head instead of this mood she was now in.

Shepard was pulled from her reverie as her terminal activated, a blinking green light signaling an incoming call. Curious, she answered and Liara's azure face winked into view.

"Shepard? I'm glad I was able to catch you."

"What do you have for me?"

Liara looked off screen and appeared to scroll through several data pads. "I've got updates for Mordin and Samara, but I wanted to send them to you first."

Shepard waited as Liara uploaded the information, and streams of data scrolled down the side of the terminal. She caught a few bits related to the Salarian Union and rachni, but the data feed was moving too fast to be certain.

"There," Liara stated. "That should be all of it."

"Thanks, Liara. I'll go over this right away."

"I also included a bit more information on your Lt. Young. Data related to his past is hard to find, even for my agents. I'm afraid that's all I've got."

Shepard frowned, but nodded. "It'll have to do."

"I also took it upon myself to send you some information of a more personal nature. I thought you might be curious."

"I appreciate that, Liara," Shepard cocked an eyebrow, uncertain. "Keep an eye out, will you?"

"Of course, Shepard. It's what I do."

The commander flipped the switch on her terminal, ending the call. She was indeed curious, and perused the topic headings on the monitor. Smiling in understanding, she opened the file named Citadel Doctor.

_Personal Correspondence  
Intercept 14:32/Comm. Channel 43-0816  
Chat Log 221: Citadel Clinic, Zakera Ward 780  
Username: MedDoc8701_

_FG: So dish!_

_MD: There's really nothing to talk about, Sis._

_FG: Things didn't go well?_

_MD: No. We had nothing to discuss. _

_FG: What do you mean? You two got along great the first time you went out._

_MD: We were with a group last time. One on one's a little bit different._

_FG: What, you got shy?_

_MD: Hardly. We talked his implant and biotics to death. He can't talk about work, and definitely isn't interested in what I do. It was awkward to say the least._

_FG: What made it awkward? You didn't talk about your ex-boyfriends again, did you?_

_MD: No, I learned that lesson already. He was just so stiff and reserved. I had about as much luck trying to get him to talk as I would getting a stool sample from an elcor._

_FG: Thanks for the image. So you're not going to try it again?_

_MD: No. Maleen contacted me. I think we're going to try to work things out._

_FG: What? You're getting back with that asari?_

_MD: Possibly. Look Sis, I got to go. A patient just walked in._

_FG: Catch me later. I'll be online this evening._

_[End Chat]_

Shepard flicked off the terminal's monitor, willing her body to ignore the strange feelings of satisfaction that twined through her limbs. The chat log was irrelevant, however, and gave little insight into Alenko's thoughts on the matter. Shepard eyed his OSD again, unwilling to examine the information as of yet, and continued to prolong the inevitable.

Her stomach growled loudly, and Shepard checked the time. It was far later than she had realized, and the commander needed food. She exited her cabin and made for the mess hall.

O o O o O o O

The crew deck was quiet and the mess was empty, a feeling of loneliness permeated the air. Shepard searched Gardner's station, rifling through various canned goods and food stores, scrounging for something to eat. She piled an ample serving of noodles, cold chicken, and what appeared to be cream corn on a tray, grabbing a cup of coffee as she made her way steadily to the table.

Dining alone had never bothered her as it would some. Shepard found it disconcerting to try to carry on a conversation whilst shoveling food into her mouth, and had never really mastered the art. Noodles were especially difficult.

The commander remembered the last time she had attempted such a feat. It was on the SR1, and Ash, Alenko and Shepard had been sharing a plate of ramen that Ash had smuggled on board during a visit to the Citadel. Ash had no desire to share with anyone, but she was on the ground team with the others and had few options. It was when Alenko threatened to share knowledge of the "human delicacy" with Wrex that Ash gave in.

The three had hunched over the mess hall table, the plate of ramen between them, and tried not to make the usual mess. Their attempts were in vain, of course, as noodles tended to be uncooperative. Ash had teased Alenko mercilessly about his pristine eating habits and threw one of her noodles at him. He wiped it from his face the same time as Shepard reached over to assist him, inadvertently catching his hand. Alenko had looked at her with such _wonder_.

The commander shoved the memory away, unwilling to relive that moment. She sipped on her stale coffee, and pushed the now empty tray aside. A sound to her right caught her attention, and she noticed Lt. Young enter the mess. She inclined her head in acknowledgment as he fixed himself a plate for supper. Shepard picked at the remnants of her chicken as he sat down across from her.

"Late night?" She asked.

He nodded, mouth full of food and Shepard shrugged inwardly. Apparently she wasn't the only one who had difficulty eating and talking simultaneously.

"I was assigned to third watch," Young swallowed. "I have to eat lunch sometime."

"How'd you get assigned to third? I thought all Alenko's staff was on first?"

He reached for a glass of water, washing down his meal. "Recent transfer."

Shepard considered his statement for a moment. She had not had time to review all the crew reports received today. In hindsight, she should have postponed her journaling for another time.

She glanced back at Young only to see him return her gaze intently, eyes flickering in the dim light. The commander said nothing, continuing to meet his gaze and sip her coffee. There was no need for him to know that she was behind on her briefings.

"I thought Commander Alenko would've told you by now." Young dove into his meal again and Shepard stiffened inadvertently at his comment.

"Commander Alenko is able to make crew decisions of his own accord. I am not his babysitter." Young snorted in response, and continued to eat. "So what's your take on it?"

He frowned into his meal, fork halfway to his mouth. "Doesn't matter what _I_ think, does it?"

"I wouldn't ask if it didn't. What's your take on the situation?"

Young set his fork down and met her gaze again, eyes sparkling darkly. "I think it was the only option Alenko could come up with. _Apparently_, he received some reports about my 'negative' behavior."

Shepard sipped her coffee. "Which was?"

"Those two engineers – what are their names? Ken and Gabby – they made some complaints about me; said I was mucking up the works down in engineering, getting into tech I shouldn't. I told them I was recalibrating the retrofit on the FBA couplings, but I guess they didn't like that. So now I'm in CIC on third watch, monitoring communications." He returned his attention to his meal, eating more vigorously than before.

Shepard nodded in understanding and refilled her coffee. She sat in uncomfortable silence while Lt. Young finished his lunch, saying nothing more until he pushed his empty tray aside.

"So you were in the N7 program?"

"Yeah," he said flatly.

"What happened?"

Young sighed heavily and frowned at the commander. "I withdrew for personal reasons."

"Such as?"

"Do you know the definition of personal?" Dark eyes flashed and he reached for his glass of water. "You're my commanding officer. I don't want to get friendly and I don't want to get personal. You want to get chummy with your subordinates that's fine. I'm just here to do my job."

Shepard ignored the building irritation in her gut. "Then as your commanding officer I'll expect you to treat me with a hell of a lot more respect than that."

Young stiffened at the stern tone in her voice. "Yes ma'am."

Shepard took another sip of her coffee, eyeing the lieutenant and expecting another smart-ass comment. When there was none forthcoming, she noisily pushed back her chair and headed toward the elevator. A wry smile crossed her face when she heard a relieved sigh upon exiting the mess.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Thanks to my beta. Your input is inspiring and incredibly helpful. To the readers, are you up for a little action? As always, please feel free to post your thoughts. Reviews are always welcome.

* * *

Chapter 6

"Stupid controls," Shepard muttered. She was standing on the rim of the galaxy map, the once dependable controls unresponsive, and her patience was running thin.

"EDI? Run a self diagnostic. There's something wrong with the navigation console. It's ignoring my commands."

EDI's blue avatar hovered next to the elevator. "I detect no problems with the control console, Commander. All systems are functioning at 100 percent capacity."

Shepard swore and refrained from kicking the console. She had been receiving reports of seemingly random malfunctions from all over the ship, but this was the first time she had experienced it. The commander was annoyed to say the least.

"Call coming in, Commander."

Shepard sighed in irritated resignation. "Put it through the overhead, Joker."

"Commander Shepard." Hackett's disembodied voice pumped through the speakers and the commander rolled her eyes. What did he want now?

"Admiral," she stated flatly.

"Shepard, we've received word of a batarian slaver ring in the Hades' Nexus. We believe they have abducted one of our agents who also happens to be in possession of some very sensitive information. We'd like you to get it back."

"The agent or the intel?"

"Ideally both, but the intelligence takes priority." Hackett paused and the commander randomly wondered if he was bald. "We've traced his signal to the planet Bothros. Expect a hostile reception."

"Consider it done. Shepard out."

"Another mission for Admiral Hackett?" Garrus asked, looking over the galaxy map. "Just like old times."

Shepard hadn't heard him approach, her irritation disrupting her focus. She shrugged nonchalantly. "Not like we have anything better to do."

Turian mandibles twitched and Garrus bared his teeth in what Shepard recognized as a smile. "Yeah, maybe we can hunt for lost artifacts while we're at it?"

The commander chuckled and cuffed him playfully on the shoulder. She stepped down, ignoring the malfunctioning console and her continual urge to kick it, and headed toward the cockpit.

"Joker, set in a course to Bothros in the Hades' Nexus."

"Aye-aye, Captain."

"EDI," Shepard continued, "have Lt. Young and Commander Alenko prepare to disembark once we reach orbit."

"Yes, Commander," her avatar glittered momentarily. "They have been informed and will meet you in the cargo hold."

O o O o O o O

Shepard adjusted the fit of her greaves and glanced surreptitiously across the cabin at Alenko. He appeared uncomfortable sitting next to Young, and the two men had not said a word to each other so far. Miranda had questioned her choice of ground team, but the commander had dismissed her concerns. She was interested to see how they would interact.

"Exiting cargo hold," the shuttle pilot intoned.

Shepard said nothing, continuing to observe the men across from her. Young had chosen to outfit himself in heavy armor, bulky and cumbersome, but superb against direct assaults. He gazed out the window, attention focused on the great blackness beyond.

Alenko was armored as usual, fidgeting with his breather in anticipation. He glanced up at Shepard and smiled softly when she didn't look away. The commander opened her mouth to speak, but snapped it shut as her stomach lurched in surprise. The shuttle had begun its swift descent planet side and the time for conversation was past.

"Approaching landing coordinates. ETA five minutes."

Shepard checked the settings on her breather before planting the helmet on her head. A familiar feeling of confinement encased her, her breathing loud within and the visor cloudy. The commander steadied herself as she swallowed a wave of rising tension, adjusting the settings on her environmental controls. The visor cleared immediately and she cocked her head to each side, checking the fit and securing it in place. She glanced over at the two men, both engaged in similar activities. They appeared clunky and alien in their full armor.

Shepard activated the communications trigger on her helm. "Check one, two… Alenko, Young? Do you receive?"

"Aye, Commander."

"Sure," Young answered. Shepard frowned at him, although her visor prevented the desired effect.

"Landing sequence activated." The pilot stated, and the door to the forward compartment slid shut.

The commander readied herself, focusing her thoughts and controlling the rush of adrenaline. The UT-47 shuddered as the landing gear activated, slowing their descent substantially. Despite the fact that she had gone groundside countless times, landings always made her heart race. One never quite knew what to expect when that door opened.

A discordant groan pulsed within the shuttle and vibrated her armor. They had touched down. Shepard inhaled deeply, the sound hollow within her breather, and turned toward the cargo doors as they slid open. Readying her weapon, she hopped outside.

The landscape was bleak. A sterile frozen vista stretched out before them, contrasting sharply as the horizon met the black sky. Shepard noticed jagged peaks approximately three klicks south of their position, an oddity considering the rest of the flat planet.

She ducked slightly as the Kodiak's engines roared to life again. Shepard watched as it disappeared into the sky, diverting to high orbit until she called for pick-up. The commander activated her omni-tool and examined the diagram that Hackett had sent her. She motioned to the others; the agent's signal was in a northwesterly direction.

Their trek was swift considering the extreme cold and ice, but the flat terrain made for easier travel. However, it also made them easy targets, and Shepard kept a wary eye on the horizon.

It was Young who noticed the bunker first. The dugout, barely visible and rising slightly above the bland landscape, was composed of unrecognizable material. Shepard scanned it with her 'tool, but was unable to get readings from this vantage. She motioned Young forward while she and Alenko searched for cover on each flank. Their caution was unnecessary as no one came out to greet them. Shepard sighed in disappointment, breath clouding her visor momentarily. They were going to have to go inside, and she had limited information on what exactly was in there.

"Alenko," she keyed her radio. "Hit the door. Young, watch his flank. I'll take point."

Shepard moved into position with Young as Alenko crouched down to examine the door's console. The yellow glow of his omni-tool flickered against the grey walls and cast an eerie glow on his armored body. He moved quickly, the motions of his hands fluid as he hacked the panel. Standing back up he signaled Shepard and readied his pistol. The door hissed open.

She wasn't sure what she had expected, although it had been something more than this. The commander stayed on point, her weapon drawn and aimed into an empty airlock. She motioned to Young who moved inside, his rifle at the ready. Alenko flanked the door, and Shepard moved across from him.

"We got nothing ma'am," Young stated.

Shepard checked her omni-tool again, but there were no live readings. She motioned to Alenko and the two entered the airlock, sealing the door behind them. "Proceed inside."

Young plastered his body to the wall for cover and pressed the console. The gears whined pitifully as the inner door shuddered and stopped only partially ajar. Shepard could hear Young grunting with effort through her earpiece as he pulled the door open a bit further. The three crawled carefully inside.

There was nothing before them but rubble and crates in what seemed to be an empty room. The hairs on the back of Shepard's neck stood up, and she motioned to Young and Alenko.

"Check your corners."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth she heard the staccato beat of gunfire and dove to the ground. Shepard rolled awkwardly, taking cover next to the wall until she could get her bearings. Alenko was caught behind a large piece of rubble, crouching to avoid fire, and Young was beside him. The two men popped up sporadically, one firing as the other reloaded.

Shepard examined the room, careful to stay hidden from enemy view. Very little cover remained, although she did notice some glass barriers to her right and huffed irritably. She holstered her pistol and switched to the widow, checking the ammo count.

"Alenko, how many hostiles?"

The staff commander popped up suddenly and fired off two rounds. His shields flashed from arms fire, and he quickly returned to cover.

"Five, Shepard." He reloaded another clip and slammed it in hard. "Two groundside, taking cover behind crates, and three more up top on a walkway."

Young returned fire, the din of his rifle resonating throughout the room. Shepard shouldered her widow and activated her cloak, crouching down and poking her head around the corner. Ignoring the warning bells in her head, Shepard pushed the sounds of gunfire away and adjusted her scope.

Her shoulder throbbed as the widow kicked, the thunder of her shot echoing across the room. The hostile fire stopped momentarily, and then surged anew in her direction. Shepard ducked back behind the wall again as shots flew past, her shields flaring from a near miss.

"Well that's one, Commander," Young snorted.

Shepard ignored his comment and reloaded her weapon, activating her cloak once more. "Concentrate fire below."

Alenko and Young popped up simultaneously as Shepard took aim, and the intense sound of gunfire escalated. A slaver on the walkway broke cover and the commander aligned her sights. His head jerked to the side violently as a spray of viscous fluid splattered on the wall behind him.

A burst of static filled her radio and she could barely make out the frantic shouting of batarians. Reloading again, she glanced at her team, still crouching behind the rubble.

"Alenko, there's a control panel on that walkway. Use your overload on it. Young –"

The lieutenant let loose a barrage of firepower, spraying the crates in front of him.

"Yeah, I know." Young interrupted as he returned to cover. "I'll hit him when he moves."

Shepard pushed her ire down, focusing instead on the current firefight. "Now!"

Alenko activated his omni-tool and sent an electronic pulse toward the panel. The explosive burst caught the slaver unawares, and pushed him out of cover. Young stood and fired, and Shepard took the opportunity to shift cover. Activating her cloak she raced for the barrier wall on her right.

Gunfire pelted her shields as Shepard navigated through the rubble. The kinetic barrier flared bright blue as her cloak dissipated, and she lunged forward, slamming her body against the wall. Checking her settings, the commander adjusted her footing and waited for her cloak to recharge. Alenko and Young continued to rain fire on the remaining slavers.

"Alenko, use throw on those crates. Young –"

"I got it, Shepard!" Young slapped in another clip and readied himself.

Shepard glared at him, but quickly returned her attention to the firefight. The two remaining batarians were hunkered down behind a pair of massive crates, popping out intermittently to open fire. Shepard checked her settings again and activated her cloak.

"Now, Alenko."

Shepard sighted down her scope, ignoring the flashes of blue from her shields as bullets whizzed by. Alenko leaned out of cover, projecting a massive energy field toward the slavers. The crates lifted briefly off the ground and Young opened fire. Shepard adjusted her scope, zeroing in on the left batarian. His head was within her crosshairs and she squeezed the trigger.

The body slumped to the ground, leg twitching as the last of his life energies ebbed. Shepard ignored the pain in her shoulder and quickly reloaded, her back pressed against the wall. She readied herself for another barrage of fire, but the room was silent.

"All clear, Commander," Alenko said as he stood up hesitantly.

Shepard leaned out of cover, scanning the room for hostiles and finding none. She returned her widow to its casing, securing it to her back, and checked the ammo count on her hand cannon. Alenko approached her, his hand held out to pull her up. Shepard took it without hesitation, ignoring the memory that surfaced and the feel of his gloved hand in hers.

Activating her omni-tool, Shepard examined the layout of the small bunker. The diagram showed another room to the west and the commander spied the entrance behind the crates. Young was already pushing them out of the way, and Alenko moved to assist him.

"According to Hackett's information, the agent and his intel should be in the next room." She grasped Young's arm and spun him around to face her. Her voice was low and controlled, but her fingers twitched restlessly. "And you will shut your mouth and follow my orders without comment. Are we clear?"

Shepard heard him huff irritably, but he simply nodded and shouldered his rifle. She gestured to Alenko, and he carefully approached the controls, wary of potential threat. Young moved to cover his flank, leaning awkwardly against the door. The commander took point again, riding the wave of adrenaline that surged within her blood.

The door slid open and the ground team readied themselves. Shepard moved in first, taking cover behind a console. She poked her head up and scanned the room. It was roughly made, carved from the rock and lined with patchwork metal sheeting. The bunker had been built in haste.

The commander motioned to Alenko and Young. They entered, flanking her position and finding cover behind sturdy crates. Her omni-tool flashed as it detected several life signs in the area. Shepard gestured to Alenko who nodded in understanding. His tool had detected similar readings. She activated her cloak and moved forward carefully.

"Commander Shepard, that's far enough."

Shepard froze at the sound of the deep voice in her ears, quickly planting herself behind a support column. She let her cloak dissipate and said nothing, not willing to give away her position just yet. Apparently, the slaver had seen her enter and she swore under her breath.

"I presume you're here for him?"

Shepard heard a rustling behind her position and then a muffled grunt. The commander gripped her cannon firmly, the solid metal comforting in her hands, and turned to confront the anonymous slaver. Brows creased as she frowned in annoyance.

"So you decided to show yourself after all?" Four batarian eyes looked back at her, sparkling menacingly in the dim light. The slaver stood awkwardly, his gun held to the head of a man in an Alliance uniform. He kneeled uncomfortably, dark bruising visible on his face and arms.

Shepard cocked an eyebrow. "You have something that belongs to me. Let him go and I won't have to kill you."

"Funny, Shepard." The slaver yanked on the agent's hair and another muffled grunt escaped from taped lips. "But I'm afraid that's not an option."

The slaver pulled the trigger, the agent's body fell limply to the ground, and Shepard felt her blood boil. She was able to get a few shots off before returning to cover, but only managed to weaken the slave leader's shields. Damn bastard was going down.

Shepard switched to the sniper rifle and activated her cloak. Leaning out of cover she took aim and saw Young push forward out of the corner of her eye. He pressed the attack while Alenko threw a warp field. The commander fired, fighting to control the exhilaration that shot through her as a slaver went down.

Young launched a grenade into the fray, sending the opposition scrambling, and took cover on her right flank. Shepard reloaded and glanced back at Alenko who continued to provide covering fire. He sent another electronic pulse forward, and Shepard activated her cloak, taking advantage of the overload.

The slavers were weakening and Shepard switched back to her cannon. She slammed in another clip and fired a few rounds. Her shields flared brilliantly then fizzled, and she was forced back into cover. A burst of static sounded through her radio accompanied by frazzled batarian voices, and the commander watched Young move forward again.

He launched another grenade, the impact so close that her teeth rattled and the column behind her shuddered violently. She swore under her breath again and checked the status of her shields. They were only partially recharged.

Shepard glanced at her omni-tool and took note of enemy position and strength. Activating her cloak, she crouched down and let loose a stream of fire, catching a rather unlucky slaver in the shoulder. His body twisted awkwardly as he fell back from the impact. Shepard took advantage of his vulnerability and aimed at his head. He stayed down, fluids pooling beneath him.

Shepard returned to cover quickly, ignoring the familiar _pings_ as bullets zipped by. She turned back to Alenko, still crouched behind a sturdy crate and keyed her radio.

"Alenko, stay put and cover me."

She watched as he quickly reloaded. "On your order, ma'am."

The commander stood up, careful to avoid the crossfire, and leaned out of cover. She fired off a few shots, aiming for whatever batarian was visible, and raced for a crate to her right. The echoes of Alenko's gunfire peppered the space behind her, halting as he reloaded. Shepard scanned the room briefly, spying Young crouching behind a console not four meters away.

"Alenko, do you have a clear view of the slave leader?"

"Negative, Commander. He's behind that large shipping container."

Shepard grumbled irritably and checked her tool again. The counter read five life signs within the room, two batarians plus her squad. She gestured to Alenko.

"Cover me."

Shepard hopped over the crate and dove behind the console, landing uncomfortably next to Young. He mumbled something unintelligible and opened fire.

"Young, you and Alenko concentrate fire to our left. Drive that bastard out or keep him pinned down. I'll take care of our friend behind the shipping container."

"Copy that, Commander." Alenko acknowledged. He moved fluidly across the room, shields flickering occasionally as he rushed to cover. Young popped up beside her, discharging a hail of gunfire. She checked the ammo count, and assured that it was full, activated her cloak.

Shepard moved out of cover, easing to the right and around the maze of crates, coming at last to the largest shipping container. She could hear gunfire coming from the opposite side and cocked the hammer on her cannon. Inhaling deeply and steadying herself, the commander stepped out and fired, pelting the batarian with a hail of bullets. His body contorted wildly, finally coming to rest on the slick floor. Shepard ejected the heat sink coolly, and loaded another one.

The raucous sound of gunfire had abated for the moment, and Shepard continued forward with caution, easing her body along the length of the container. She halted upon reaching the edge, listening for any sign of hostility.

"All clear Commander, but –" Alenko's voice cut off as Shepard stepped into view. He was standing next to Young, the lieutenant's rifle trained on the remaining slaver. "We have a survivor."

The commander checked her omni-tool for additional life signs, and holstered her weapon when she saw none.

"I noticed a command console over behind the shipping container. Alenko?" Shepard jerked her head to the left. "You're with me. Young, stay here and keep an eye on him."

"Sure thing Shepard," Young quipped, and the commander struggled to control a renewed need for violence.

She saw Alenko frown through his visor, but he said nothing and followed her to the console instead. They examined the controls and Alenko switched on his omni-tool, hacking into the mainframe. Shepard waited, impatient and still restless from combat.

"I'm in," Alenko stated, a glowing stream of information scrolling down the monitor. He mumbled something under his breath and Shepard turned toward him.

"Something wrong?"

He shifted abruptly and Shepard recognized his annoyance. "There's nothing here, not anymore. It looks like they had the Alliance intel, but downloaded it some time ago."

"Anything else on there of use?"

Alenko manipulated the controls, his hands moving quickly over the console. "Here. It looks like they moved to another facility, but the data is encrypted. I can't decode it without more time.

Shepard nodded impatiently. "Fine, download it. We'll have EDI work on the decryption."

Alenko synced up his omni-tool, adjusting the settings in order to interface with the mainframe. Shepard shifted nervously beside him, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. He looked at her and nodded succinctly.

"Got it."

A loud shot rang through the room and Shepard and Alenko drew their weapons simultaneously. Shepard jogged alongside the container as Alenko followed, pistol at the ready. She crouched down and leaned out of cover, her cannon aimed toward the shot's origin. Young stood calmly, nudging the now dead batarian at his feet.

"Report, Lieutenant." Shepard's voice was cool, her frustration leaking through as she approached him.

Young shrugged, uncaring. "He was reaching for a gun."

The commander looked down at the batarian's empty hands, no weapon in sight. Rage pooled in her gut and a jolt of adrenaline shot through her system. She had had enough. Raising her cannon, she trained it on Young, pressing it to his helmet.

"While you're under my command you _will_ follow my orders." Her voice was ice and fury surged in her blood. "If you don't like that, we can end your tour right here."

Young stood still, saying nothing, but Shepard could hear Alenko cock the hammer on his pistol. "Your choice, Lieutenant."

Young slung his rifle over his shoulder. "I'll follow your orders."

"You'll what?" Shepard moved forward menacingly and wrestled with the urge to squeeze the trigger.

"I'll follow your orders _ma'am_." Young seemed sincere, although Shepard didn't think he was too happy about it.

She held her cannon level with his eyes for a moment longer, processing the variables related to his continued survival. After a moment's hesitation, she lowered her weapon, satisfied that Young had been sufficiently castigated.

"Good. It would have been a pain in the ass to haul your body back to the ship." Shepard saw his eyes widen slightly and smiled inwardly. "Now let's get out of here."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all, except for a few characters.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, drakontion, and to everyone who has provided such wonderful and helpful feedback. You have made this a very fun experience. As always, feel free to read and review.

Chapter 7

"Thank you for this, Shepard."

Tali's voice filled the small space, filtered through electronic channels and muffled slightly. The commander nodded in response, but said nothing and kept her eyes firmly on the back of Joker's head. She couldn't quite explain it, but for the past week Shepard had experienced a feeling of creeping dread. It had seeped into her bones until the very weight of it became oppressive, and her mood had suffered because of it.

"Approaching the flotilla, Commander." Joker stated as his fingers slid over the computer console. "Comm. channels open."

Shepard stood at the ready, her hand on Joker's chair as Tali paced and wrung her hands restlessly. While she had not been gone long from the fleet, their last visit had been about as comfortable as a punch in the neck, and Tali's anxiety was understandable.

"This is Migrant Fleet control. We have you on our scope, Normandy. Please confirm."

Tali glanced over at Shepard, her face indiscernible behind the opaque mask. The commander nodded, but still said nothing.

"This is Tali'Zorah vas Neema nar Rayya requesting permission to dock with the Rayya." Tali crossed and uncrossed her arms, continuing to pace.

"Verify status, Normandy." The controller's voice was frigid, and Shepard felt a chill creep up her spine.

"After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and through shoals of dust, I will return to where I began." Tali stopped pacing long enough to turn toward Shepard. "I really should get that transponder replaced for you."

"I know you'll get it done, Tali. You haven't let me down yet." Shepard pulled on her helmet, adjusting the settings on her environmental controls. A _whoosh_ of air filled her vents and briefly blocked out all sound, deafening her to the approaching pair of footsteps.

Corporal Hanson jogged up beside her, helmet dangling from his hands. His face was flushed and he appeared out of breath. He stuck his head in his helmet, slapped it down, and smiled as the rushing air ruffled his hair.

"Good to go, Commander." He was far too cheerful for Shepard's liking and she began to question her decision to bring him along.

"Commander." Warmth suffused her body as Alenko greeted her, the throaty tenor voice disrupting her thought process. She shoved the emotion away, and tried to focus on the upcoming mission.

"You are clear to proceed, Normandy." The hollow voice echoed through the speakers, sending another chill up Shepard's spine. "Decontamination crew awaiting your arrival at exterior docking cradle 18."

Shepard positioned herself in front of the airlock, the Normandy slowing to a halt as the docking clamps secured her. _Funny how ships are usually considered female_, Shepard idly mused.

A loud thump sounded against the hull as the boarding ramp attached, accompanied by a cacophonous orchestra of motorized gears. The doors hissed open, and Shepard led the group into the decontamination chamber. She could hear the slight hum of the decon units as they sanitized her arms and armor, the thin white light sliding smoothly across all surfaces.

The outer doors hissed open and Tali led them aboard the Rayya, greeting the captain cordially. Nothing had changed in the intervening months from what Shepard could tell. The interior remained scuffed and faded, graffiti and debris lined the walls, and Shepard stepped carefully around it. The Quarian decontamination crew waited restlessly nearby, their equipment resting atop the crates in the hall. Shepard nodded at the captain as she passed by and he nodded in return, on his way to supervise the crew in their duties.

"Your people sure aren't big on warm welcomes, are they?"

Tali glanced back at her commander. "It isn't often the flotilla has visitors, Shepard. Be satisfied they let us dock at all."

Shepard shrugged inwardly. She could have done without another visit to the flotilla, but circumstance dictated otherwise, and the commander found herself in an uncomfortable situation yet again. It wasn't that she felt the Quarians were actively hostile, on the contrary. According to Tali her people were very sociable and engaging, but most often with their own kind. Shepard, while she respected their skills and understood their plight, couldn't help but feel the majority of Quarians disliked and distrusted her. It was of no consequence, however. Tali would get them the parts the Normandy required and the intelligence Shepard needed. It was good to have friends, especially when those friends were useful.

They wound their way through the metal corridors and into the garden plaza. The humid air clung to her visor and the commander adjusted her environmental controls. Coarse vines lined the patchwork walls and Shepard briefly wondered how the ship kept from falling apart.

She watched Tali enter the plaza and visit with another Quarian, Admiral Raan Shepard guessed, given Tali's familiarity with her. The two Quarians embraced warmly and appeared to be chatting. Shepard stayed back, unwilling to risk intruding even further into Quarian society than she already had. It was only when Tali returned to her side that her impatience lessened.

Tali gestured to her subtly. "The admirals are meeting in a room just off the side of the plaza."

Shepard eyed the smattering of Quarians that dotted the gardens. "Are you sure they'll give you permission to examine the results? I don't want us wasting our time here, Tali."

"It's a courtesy, Shepard. They have no reason to prevent my involvement, especially since I'm the one who took the readings."

"Okay," Shepard shrugged. "These are your people. You know them best."

Tali nodded gratefully, and turned toward the meeting room.

"Do we get to go too?" Hanson asked excitedly. Shepard looked to Tali.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have you two come along. My people will always welcome another tech expert."

"Plus Kai – Alenko was with us on the hunt for Saren. I'm sure that'll earn him a few bonus points." Shepard almost bit her tongue at the slip-up.

"Thanks, Commander. I'm sure I could always use a few more bonus points."

Not sure how to take that comment, Shepard ignored it and followed Tali into the meeting room. It was cold and sterile compared to the rich warmth of the gardens. The five admirals sat impatiently around a battered table that was almost too large for the room. Mismatched metal plating lined the walls, and a lonely single light hung slightly off center above the table. An oppressive weight fell upon her shoulders and Shepard shifted irritably.

Tali introduced their group, her voice strong and absent of anxiety. The commander was rather impressed with her confidence, especially given the negativity flitting about the room.

"No need for such formality, Tali'Zorah." Admiral Gerrel stated bluntly. "We know who you are. Welcome back Captain Shepard."

Shepard inclined her helmeted head respectfully. "Admiral."

"I assume you're here to ask permission to review the Haestrom data, correct?" Admiral Xen inquired with her usual haughty air.

"Yes, Admiral." Shepard heard Tali's voice catch slightly. "I would like permission for the rest of my team to join me as well."

"And what else?" An unfamiliar voice asked at the end of the table, and Shepard turned his direction.

"Our newest board member – Admiral Ulen'Shal vas Defrahnz." Gerrel gestured lackadaisically toward him and Shepard heard Hanson choke down a laugh.

Tali fidgeted nervously. "I was also going to requisition some of the fleets old transponder ID's. We have many stored away and rarely use them."

"No, Tali'Zorah. What are you willing to give us in return for sharing our intelligence?" Admiral Shal sat forward, his black environmental suit creaking as he did so.

"I didn't realize I would need to barter for information that _I_ acquired. Since when did we stop sharing among our own?"

"You identify yourself as one of us, but your name was never formally changed from Tali'Zorah vas Normandy." The electronic buzz of Admiral Xen's words did nothing to decrease their venom.

"Peace, Admirals." Raan interjected. "Tali has proven herself time and again to our people."

"It is not Tali'Zorah's heroics that we question, but her loyalties." The commander looked at Admiral Koris and swallowed the retort that caught in her throat.

Tali glanced at Shepard who nodded. "Give them the data Tali. It's a fair trade."

She activated her omni-tool, its glow coloring the walls a sickly yellow. "If you say so, Shepard."

The admirals focused their attention on their own omni-tools, each lit up with incoming information, and worked furiously to scan all the data at once. Tali glanced at Shepard and nodded slowly. She would have known what information to include and what not to. The commander had no doubt where her loyalties lay.

"What exactly is it that we're looking at?" Admiral Raan asked as she glanced up from the data feed.

Shepard stepped forward, hands clasped behind her back. "These are the readings we gathered on the Collector ship and base."

"Impossible," Koris huffed. "We're supposed to believe that you were actually on the Collector's _base_?"

"Believe what you want, Admiral." Shepard snorted. "You wanted to barter, well we're bartering."

"Is this right?" Admiral Xen queried, surprise in her voice. "These readings indicate genetic similarities between the Collectors and the Protheans."

Almost as one, the admirals attended to their omni-tools, searching for the stream of data that Admiral Xen had noted.

Shepard shot Tali a wry smile and nodded. "That is correct, Admiral. Both our medical officer and ship's computer confirmed it. The Collectors were indeed the last of the Protheans."

"And you destroyed them." Shal spit as he shut off his omni-tool.

The commander cocked an irritated eyebrow and heard Alenko shift behind her. "And your point?"

"My point, Shepard, is the distinct lack of respect that you seem to hold for life, and your tendency to continue gallivanting around the galaxy pretending to play savior."

A familiar cold calm crept inside her veins and Shepard did her best to meet Shal's eyes. Despite that he was the newest member of the board, he had been the most outspoken so far. The commander had to wonder where his hostility for her came from. She opened her mouth to speak, but barely had time to draw breath before Alenko interrupted her.

"Shepard's done more for the safety of this galaxy than any other race has even tried to do." His voice was forceful, his body trembled with barely suppressed indignation, and Shepard became tangled in thought. "You should be thankful she includes you at all."

The commander came back to herself and placed a hand on his arm. He shot her a look of mixed anger and apology, and Shepard tried to ignore the tension between them.

"I believe what Commander Alenko is trying to say is that we can each agree to help the other out; work together for mutual benefit." Tali had stepped forward, the confidence in her voice more evident.

Gerrel sighed, which came out sounding like burst of static. "We can't guarantee anything, Tali'Zorah, but we can offer you our limited resources for now."

Tali switched off her omni-tool. "That is all we ask, Admiral."

Shepard shifted, feeling the weight of the tension in the room, and the ambivalence of the admirals. A thought struck her and the feeling of creeping dread returned. "You're preparing for war with the geth."

Silence fell around the room like a heavy blanket and the admirals exchanged glances. Nobody spoke, but Shepard felt the tension in the room explode. Tali shifted beside her, wringing her hands apprehensively.

"What would give you that idea, Captain Shepard?" Raan asked innocently.

The commander frowned and shook her head. "I've been in the service long enough to know a mobilization for war when I see it. Now is not the best time to turn your fleet into scrap by throwing yourselves at the geth."

"For once I agree with you, Captain Shepard," stated Koris. "But yours is not the place to intervene."

"Am I still Quarian enough to disagree?" The admirals focused on Tali, but she refused to shrink from their attentions. "The fleet is still my home and I do not want it destroyed. The geth will always be around, but they're not the immediate danger right now."

"Pray tell me," quipped Xen. "What is?"

Shepard nodded for Tali to continue. "The Reapers threaten every sentient life form in the galaxy, and they are going to return. We _must_ be prepared."

"Reapers, Tali'Zorah?" Admiral Shal asked, his voice filled with disdain. "And I suppose they were the ones responsible for genetically altering the last of the Prothean race as well?"

Tali started to fidget again. "Well, yes."

Shepard's impatience got the better of her and she stepped forward indignantly. "All the information you need to know has been downloaded to your omni-tools and you can decide for yourselves what to make of it." She turned irate eyes on the newest member of the board. "So am I going to have to remove your sorry ass, or do you have anything _useful_ to add to this discussion, Admiral Shal?"

Shal sputtered behind his mask as Gerrel spoke. "Commander, I don't see the need to continue this discussion. You have presented us with a fair trade." The other admirals shifted but said nothing. "We'll have a shuttle arranged for your transfer to the Neema."

A myriad of insults swam through her head, but Shepard refrained from speaking her mind. She simply nodded instead, grateful that her helmet covered the contempt beneath. "Thank you, Admiral Gerrel. Your assistance is appreciated."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Bioware owns almost all.

A/N: Thanks to everyone so far who has read and reviewed. Your feedback is appreciated. As always, thanks to my beta, and feel free to post your thoughts, opinions, etc.

Chapter 8

They were back in the warmth of the garden plaza after executing a hasty retreat from the meeting room. Shepard, for one, was glad as the rising tension was rather troublesome. She would have preferred an all out fight to the political shenanigans coagulating in that room. Firearms were so much easier to identify and the hand cannon was her saving grace. She patted it affectionately when she thought no one was watching.

Tali was busy fidgeting restlessly as she wandered the plaza, wringing her hands as she crossed and uncrossed her arms. Alenko stood quietly to the side, examining the gardens and irrigation systems. Hanson bounced excitedly on his toes, his nervous energies oddly refreshing. Shepard turned in his direction and keyed her radio.

"You seem awfully excited, Corporal."

Hanson paused bouncing momentarily and flashed the commander a brilliant smile. "First time on a Quarian vessel, ma'am. They got a lot of great tech. You think Miss Tali would show me around?"

Shepard flashed back to a memory of similar excitement she had once enjoyed while at boot, that is until her DI stomped her face into the mud. The commander frowned and regarded Hanson. He was young, but not as inexperienced as his attitude would have her believe. Hackett wouldn't have assigned him to her team if that was the case, and Ken and Gabby had praised his skills in engineering. She'd have to question Alenko about his combat ability.

"You'll have to ask Tali that, Corporal, but I doubt we'll have time for a tour just now."

She noticed his shoulders slump slightly, but he remained determined and eagerly strode away. Tali paused in her nervous mannerisms as he approached and considered him, face unreadable behind her mask.

Shepard watched the two visit, lost in observation as Alenko approached her. He stood quietly for a time, following her gaze, the same interested look on his face that Shepard wore. The commander turned to him, falling into the once familiar rhythm.

"So what do you think?"

Alenko considered her question for a moment, slightly cocking his head to the side in thought. "I think he likes her."

Shepard looked back to Hanson and Tali, tilting her head to the other side and observing their interaction once more. Tali was gesturing animatedly and Hanson had ceased his nervous bouncing. They appeared to be having a decent discussion, although about what she didn't know. Shepard was tempted to turn on her comm. system, but denied her curiosity for the sake of their privacy.

"How do you know he likes her?" Shepard asked, still watching them.

"Well, he talks about her often, makes up excuses to see her down in engineering, and they have a lot in common." He turned to Shepard and for the first time she realized how close his body was to hers. "He also tries to get her attention any way he can."

The commander stiffened, trying to subdue the remarkably pleasant warmth that flowed through her veins. She hoped the flush of her skin was not visible, and for the first time that day she was glad her body was ensconced in full armor plus head gear. Avoiding his gaze, she turned her attention to her environmental settings, willing the heat in her body to dissipate.

"Shepard, we need to talk."

The commander raised her head slowly and met his eyes, still so very chocolate brown beneath his visor. A storm of emotion threatened to overwhelm her senses and Shepard suddenly resented Alenko for causing her to _feel_. She focused on that frustration as she answered.

"This is not the time, Commander. " Shepard opened her mouth to say more, but words failed her. She turned on her heel and hurried away from him, ignoring the ache of emptiness spreading through her gut.

Alenko did not move to follow, but instead returned to his inspection of the irrigation systems. Shepard approached Tali and Hanson casually, working her way into their discussion.

"So you use a modified V34 Turian design? Let me guess, the reactor output was wonky and you had to recalibrate every five minutes to make it work?"

Tali nodded enthusiastically while Shepard frowned in confusion. Apparently, she had not chosen a good time to join them.

"Yes," Tali said excitedly. "We had to adjust the settings through the mainframe at least ten times a day. It became so tedious that our lead technician almost transferred ships."

Hanson laughed jovially and Shepard feigned interest. "Hey Commander, that's a great story, huh?"

"Sure," she said lamely. Shepard had no idea what they were discussing, and decided to scan the room instead. She spotted a familiar quarian strolling in their general direction and thanked the fates for a potential distraction. "Hey Tali? Isn't that Veetor?"

"Why yes, Shepard. I think that _is_ Veetor." Tali waved at the young quarian and beckoned to him. He paused momentarily, glancing at the woman accompanying him whom Shepard recognized as his nurse. Apparently his mental health was still up for debate.

"Hello Veetor. I am Tali'Zorah – we met a few months ago. Do you remember me?"

Veetor shifted nervously beside her, turning his head this way and that. "Tali'Zorah? Tali? Yes, I remember you. You were on the planet. The swarms did not get you. They did not get me."

"Yes Veetor," she nodded slowly, her voice gentle. "I am happy that you remember me."

"You are Tali," Veetor repeated. He fidgeted nervously, his nurse hovering nearby. "You are Tali'Zorah. You went away. Away with the Shepard. You fought the monsters."

"Yes Veetor," Tali said again. Her reassurance seemed to calm him and she continued. "You remember Shepard too? She is here with me."

"Shepard? The Shepard?" Veetor ceased fidgeting and seemed to look directly at Commander Shepard. "You fought the swarms. The swarms did not get you. You fought the monsters."

"Yes Veetor. I fought the monsters." Shepard wondered if this was such a great distraction after all. She hoped it would be time for his medicine soon.

Veetor seemed calm, busy digesting the information, and Shepard turned her attention toward Tali. It was then that Veetor surprised everyone and launched himself at the commander. The shock of his attack, combined with the force of his weight knocked Shepard down. His arms flailed wildly as he pummeled her body and his screams echoed off the plaza walls.

"You'll bring them back! You'll bring them back! You'll –"

Veetor's paranoid barrage was brought to a sudden halt as Alenko tackled him. Shepard heard the burst of static as the air rushed out of Veetor's lungs, and Alenko worked to keep him pinned to the ground. His nurse was beside him, chastising everyone in general as she injected a blue fluid into his suit. Tali and Hanson helped Shepard up and she remained calm for a moment, until the anger took hold. The commander trembled with rage, struggling to maintain control as she flexed armored hands.

"I _knew_ it was a bad day to take him out," Veetor's nurse grumbled as she shooed Alenko away. She pulled Veetor up, now heavily sedated, and half-dragged him out of the plaza. Alenko brushed his armor off and looked to Shepard.

The commander shook her head irritably and took a deep breath, willing the anger to dissipate. She'd just been jumped by a crazed quarian, and while she suffered no physical injuries, her ego was most certainly bruised.

"I'll say, Captain Shepard. You certainly know how to make a scene." Admiral Han'Gerrel leaned against the railing, his arms crossed and watching the crowd disperse. Shepard could have sworn he was smirking underneath his mask. "The shuttle's ready to depart whenever you are."

O o O o O o O

"So strange things seem to happen to you a lot, Commander?"

Shepard glanced at Hanson, but said nothing. Alenko sat beside him in the shuttle's small hold, his head turned away from the conversation. The commander contemplated Hanson's question momentarily, sighed inwardly, and returned to her previous musings.

Hanson fidgeted nervously and when Shepard did not respond, he dumped his curiosity on Tali. "So we're going to review the Haestrom data?"

Tali switched off her omni-tool and shifted slightly in the uncomfortable chair. "That's right. I received word from one of my contacts that the data had been analyzed and definitely indicated the presence of dark energy."

"Dark energy?" Hanson asked and leaned forward with interest. "How does dark energy effect a sun?"

Tali shook her head, the reflection of the light glinting off her mask. "We're not quite sure. That is why I wanted to review the results myself. The researchers haven't been able to make sense of all the readings yet. I want to see if I can help."

Hanson nodded eagerly. "What was the frequency? Was it similar to residual mass effect fields or a biotic echo?"

"We're not quite sure," Tali shrugged. "But it doesn't appear to be an echo. I have some tests in mind that I'd like to run to be sure."

The commander tried to follow their conversation, but her mind wouldn't focus. She kept her gaze trained out the window, but her attention remained inside the cabin. Shepard could almost feel his eyes upon her, but she refused to look and see for fear that she might be wrong. This mission had been one disaster after another and the commander had no desire to add to that pile.

"But I didn't think the geth were still a threat? Are they still active?" Hanson's eagerness had not abated, but grown even more animated.

"The true geth are, but we destroyed most of the heretics."

"The heretics? You think there are more?"

Tali nodded, light shifting across her mask again. "It would not be tactically advantageous to keep all the geth hubs in one place."

"We haven't seen the last of them," Shepard interjected, but quickly returned to her musings.

Tali said nothing, noting the commander's somber mood. Hanson, however, tried a different approach. "So Tali, what does your boyfriend think of you traipsing around the galaxy with the savior of the Citadel?"

All noise ceased at that moment, and Shepard could see the flush creep up Hanson's face. Tali shifted in her seat again, as did Alenko. The awkward silence was almost palpable and Shepard grew restless. Despite the tension, Hanson waited patiently for an answer, but Tali concentrated on her omni-tool instead.

"We should be arriving at the Neema shortly, Commander."

Shepard nodded, unbuckling her harness and preparing to disembark. The shuttle slowed and came to a halt, touching down inside the hanger. The outer doors whined open and Shepard jumped out, grateful to be out of the cramped cabin.

The Neema's deck was grey and sterile and bright metal paneling lined the walls. It was a fresh change from the dreary interior of the Rayya. Shepard inhaled deeply, the air sifting gently through her breather, and surveyed the hanger. It was empty save for a few technicians working with the fuel lines, and one quarian who strode purposefully in their direction. Shepard stood still, a flicker of familiarity tickling her senses.

Kal'Reegar extended his hand in greeting. "Fancy seeing you here, Shepard."

"Always a pleasure, Reegar." Shepard greeted him warmly, glad to see a fellow marine.

"Reegar!" Tali abandoned her attempt at conversation with Hanson and rushed to greet him. Hanson stood back, observing this new development and gauging the quarians' interaction. Shepard felt almost sorry for him, and while his feelings for Tali had become blatantly obvious during transport, the commander also knew that Reegar and Tali had been in contact for some time. Hanson's chances were slim to none.

"Reegar, you already know Commander Shepard." Tali gestured to the rest of their party. "This is Alliance Corporal Earnest Hanson and Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko. I worked with Alenko before on the Normandy SR1."

Reegar greeted each man, his welcome informal yet sincere. "Always good to meet one of Shepard's crew."

"So what errand did you get sent on this time?" Shepard asked, curious as to his presence.

"Escort duty, ma'am." Reegar cocked his head, gesturing. "Admiralty board wants to make sure you get where you need to go."

"Un-huh." Shepard pursed her lips in mild annoyance. "They don't want us wandering around unsupervised."

"Don't know about that, ma'am. I just follow orders."

"We were told we could use some spare parts for our transponder. I assume we're still good?"

Reegar nodded. "Yes ma'am. I was told by one of the tech crew that they're getting it installed right now."

Shepard looked back at Hanson. "Corporal, radio Joker and check on our systems. Make sure that transponder gets installed. I'm tired of dealing with it."

"Yes ma'am." Hanson keyed his radio and wandered away from the group, his focus now squarely on his duty.

"Has there been any other data received from Haestrom yet? Any more breakthroughs?" Tali asked inquisitively and Shepard eyed her thoughtfully. Her environmental suit did nothing to mask Tali's interest. The combination of her body language toward Reegar and tone of voice was more than enough to tell Shepard of her feelings for him. Poor Hanson must be blind if he hadn't caught it.

"Not yet, ma'am."

"Reeger, how many times must I tell you to call me Tali?"

His head dipped and his body relaxed slightly. "I'm still working on that, ma'am."

"Commander?" The tone of Hanson's voice was easy, but his eyes remained concerned underneath his visor. "Joker reported that they received the parts, and the crew is working on it as we speak."

Shepard nodded. At least one thing had gone right so far. "Reegar, shall we head out?"

"Yes, ma'am. Right this way."

The group followed Reegar through the hallways, lined with the same metal paneling from the hanger. It was blessedly bland without a hint of plant life seeping in through the cracks. Strangely enough, Shepard found the sterile environment comforting, familiar even, but the feeling of creeping dread had not abated. She frowned in mild annoyance as they entered the lab.

Bits and pieces of geth lay sprawled about the countertops, giving the impression of a salvage yard rather than a laboratory. Tali briefly scanned some of the parts, and then made her way over to the main control console. Ignoring the few other quarians in the vicinity, she punched in her access codes and reviewed the latest Haestrom files.

"Look at this." Tali waved Hanson over, and the rest of the group followed. "These readings indicate the presence of dark energy from _inside_ Dholen, although our researchers haven't been able to discover how."

"Wait – inside the sun? How is that possible?" Hanson leaned over the console and studied it intently, all signs of his earlier awkwardness gone.

Tali shook her head in bewilderment. "I don't know. We've never encountered anything like this."

Hanson nodded in understanding. "I don't think anything like this has ever been recorded, at least not in the literature I've reviewed." He glanced over at the countertops, eyes brightening with curiosity. "Are those geth?"

Tali turned in the same direction. "Yes. We recovered one of their ships. It had been drifting for days and all geth onboard were inactive." She turned on her omni-tool and took a sample reading.

Shepard stood back, giving Tali and Hanson room to work. Cybernetics was not her forte, and she had no intention of intruding on their realm of expertise. She had just decided that the ceiling was especially interesting when Reegar approached her.

"I only understand about every fifth word that comes out of her mouth." He crossed his arms and leaned back casually.

"You and me both," Shepard stated as Alenko joined them. "Between the two of them, we'll be here for at least another few hours."

"I wouldn't trust anybody else to analyze all of that data, Commander."

"I hear that, Alenko." Reegar turned his helmeted head toward him. "So you're back with Shepard now?"

A second of discomfort passed between them, but Alenko answered in a calm voice. "Yes, I'm acting as Alliance liaison to the commander."

"Ah," he nodded in thought. "So how come you weren't 'liaison' on her last mission?"

Another moment of tension shot through the group, but Reegar didn't seem to notice or care.

"He was on assignment during that time," Shepard answered as she stiffened inadvertently. "His appointment to liaison is a new development."

"Ah," Reegar said again. "Must've been hard to be apart for that long."

Shepard swallowed an exasperated sigh and looked anywhere but at Alenko.

"I going to go check on Tali and Hanson, Commander," Alenko sputtered as he rubbed his neck nervously. "See what they've found."

Shepard watched him go, ignoring the tension building in her body. She turned her attention back to Reegar and swore she could see a look of confusion beneath his mask.

"Did I say something wrong, Shepard?"

She shook her head, her helmet jerking awkwardly at the movement. "Not at all Reegar."

"It's just what Tali had told me – and the way he looks at you." He paused and uncrossed his arms. "I'm not familiar with human customs, Shepard."

The commander held up her hand to forestall him. "Don't worry about it Reegar. Worse things have happened."

As the words fell from Shepard's lips, Tali spoke up, her tone tense. "Commander, you should see this."

A feeling of apprehension washed over her, and the commander stifled a groan. Abandoning her conversation with Reegar, she joined the others around the console, dreading the bad news that Tali no doubt had for her.

"Shepard, I've decrypted part of an encoded message. It seems the heretics have another base."


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Bioware owns almost all.

A/N: An early update since I won't be able to on Friday - holidays and all that. Enjoy, and thanks for reading.

Chapter 9

"_It seems the heretics have another base."_

The memory of those words did little to assuage the apprehension that Shepard felt at the moment, jostling wildly as the shuttle descended through the troposphere. The stabilizers had given out halfway through their descent and the activation of the landing gear had compounded the problem. Her stomach lurched, and adrenaline shot through her blood as the shuttle touched down roughly. She glanced at Alenko and Jacob; neither man showed any sign of discomfort.

"_I need to stay and run more tests, Shepard." _

The commander ceased chastising herself as she undid her harness and readied her weapon. Tali had chosen to stay with the flotilla and Shepard didn't care to argue with her. That quarian could be stubborn as hell when she wanted and Shepard was in need of any intel she could provide. No doubt the information would prove useful and coming from Tali, reliable as well.

The shuttle doors hissed open and the three stepped out onto the hot, gritty rock. Dark swirls of carbonaceous dust danced across the plain, and Shepard adjusted the settings on her breather. She crouched down and grabbed a handful of earth, the grainy sands sifting through armored fingers as she familiarized herself with the earth. Footing would be a bitch.

Earlier scans had detected evidence of an active batarian encampment five klicks outside the main colony. Readings identified multiple landing craft, their heat signatures still visible even hours later. Shepard suspected there had been a meeting of sorts given the heavy traffic. She frowned. Most hidden bases try to remain so, not advertise their whereabouts by hosting interstellar mixers.

"So this is Logasiri?" Jacob quipped as he scanned the horizon. "What a shithole."

Shepard stood back up and wiped the dust from her hands. Alenko and his crew had been played an integral part in decrypting the Bothros data. With EDI's help they had uncovered this new location, allowing them to continue with Hackett's mission. She had debated on bringing Alenko on this one, given that he'd gone groundside every other time, but he had been with her on Bothros and deserved to see this mission through.

"I want radio silence until we reach the camp." The heat of the planet soaked into her skin and Shepard adjusted her environmental settings. A bead of sweat formed on her forehead, tickling as it slid down her nose. Sometimes she really hated her helmet.

Each man nodded, readying for the trek across the barren wasteland. Shepard checked the ammo count on her cannon for the third time that day and noting it was still full, proceeded forward. Examination of her omni-tool indicated that the batarian's camp should be over the next rise. She punched in a sequence of numbers, sending her crew the same information.

The group of three crossed the plains to a short rise and crept up to the edge, overlooking the encampment not more than forty meters away. Shepard unstrapped her widow and sighted through the scope, noting that many craft were still present. She scanned the perimeter, observing infrequent patrols and few guard stations. If they were going to hit this camp, they would need to be quick about it. Reinforcements from the nearby colony would not be a welcome distraction.

Shepard signaled to Alenko and Jacob, each man flanking her position, the gritty dark sand shifting beneath them. The commander watched them until they disappeared into cover, out of sight from both her and the slavers. She sighted down her scope once more, memorizing the layout of the field, the seemingly random patrols, and the guard at the camp entrance.

The commander adjusted her scope, aligning the crosshairs of her rifle, and focusing in on an unsuspecting batarian. Her body tensed in anticipation from the recoil, and Shepard fingered the trigger. She exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of her body, the press of her armor, and fired.

A resounding _crack_ thundered through the thin air and the batarians below scurried about like confused ants. A series of sharp staccato _pops_ sounded to her right as Shepard reloaded. A blue haze formed on the left, sending a shipment of crates flying haphazardly across the field. The commander sighted once more, her heart pounding, adrenaline rushing.

Another shot rang out, the pain in her shoulder a familiar ache. She reloaded again, sighted, and fired. Shepard repeated the process, each time accompanied by supporting fire, the batarian numbers dwindling slowly.

A low hum caught her attention and she broke radio silence. "Alenko, they're going for the ships. Keep them on the ground, we can't have any escape."

"Affirmative, ma'am."

She sighted again, just in time to see a small electronic explosion overload a ship's systems. The low hum ceased, but the gunfire surged anew. She concentrated on the door guards, picking them off one by one, cursing under her breath as she ran low on clips. She switched to her cannon, and pushed forward, sliding down the steep embankment toward cover.

"Moving to cover," Jacob intoned over the radio. Apparently she wasn't the only one running low on ammo.

A series of electronic gurgles echoed through the field, overloading the ships' systems and rendering them useless for the time being. Shepard found herself on the south end of the field, hidden behind what looked like a heavily armored cab with an M350 cannon on top. Ignoring the bizarre conveyance, she pushed her vexation aside and focused on the assault.

Jacob pressed his attack to the right, causing the flustered slavers to huddle together for cover. She saw him lob a grenade into the fray and decimate the ranks. Alenko crouched behind a sharp rock on the rise to her left, taking occasional pot shots at the opposition. Directly in front of her was the entrance, guarded by what looked like incredibly stubborn mercenaries. Shepard activated her cloak and raced to another, less conspicuous, form of cover.

She huddled behind the remnants of a control console, now fried from Alenko's handiwork. The commander cocked the hammer and aimed at a door guard. The recoil sent tiny shivers of warmth up her arms, the excitement and noise of combat stimulating her senses. She pushed forward, keeping the slavers under fire until she reached her mark. Ducking, she took cover once more behind a downed craft, the victim of Alenko's first attack.

She wasn't more than ten meters away from the door, the hail of gunfire pelted against the ship and sent tinny echoes into the air. She slapped in another clip and activated her cloak, taking careful aim. Jacob had moved to cover approximately ten meters to her right, northeast of her position while Alenko maintained cover on the rise.

Another batarian fell, a puddle of his fluids accumulating by the door. She heard Jacob fire again, the loud blast of his shotgun ringing in her ears. She squeezed the trigger again, noting with frustration that she was once more running low on clips.

"All clear, Commander." Alenko's voice rang through her earpiece. She frowned slightly, thinking the assault couldn't be over that quickly, and stood up hesitantly.

Alenko was right, no batarians remained standing and only faint life signs were visible on her scanner. She approached the entrance, noting with irritation that one slaver still lived. He crawled toward the door, groaning pathetically. A gunshot round had shredded his legs and another had impacted his back. The batarian gurgled as the dust clogged his lungs. Shepard aimed and fired, ending his misery and continued toward the door without a second thought.

"It's locked. Alenko?"

He jogged down the rise toward Shepard, the sand shifting crazily beneath his feet. Jacob wandered restlessly, on the lookout for additional targets as he collected ammo from the dead.

"I'm on it, ma'am."

Shepard surveyed the wreckage in the field. The landing crafts once neatly arranged and functional were now torn chunks of debris, smoking in the slight breeze. Bodies littered the dusty earth, their fluids turning the grit to mud beneath them. It was a sight she had become all too familiar with and the fact that it evoked no emotion caused Shepard to wonder if that was a good, or a bad thing.

"We're in." Alenko stated, quickly reloading his pistol.

Jacob tossed Shepard another clip and she slapped it in hard. "You know your positions."

O o O o O o O

Shepard hunkered down behind a solid shipping container, Alenko right beside her and Jacob on her left. They had cleared the bunker with little difficulty until they reached the main control center. The remaining batarians guarded it viciously, using a variety of weaponry at their disposal. At present, they were taking cover from an incoming squad of slavers, armed with heavy duty flamethrowers. Shepard sighed in irritation. _When were they ever going to learn?_

She signaled to Alenko. He popped out of cover and sent an electric pulse toward the three approaching batarians. One immediately burst into flame, and then another as Jacob landed a hit on the fuel tanks. Shepard leaned over and aimed for the third, dropping him in a shower of fire. The screams eventually died down and only charred remains were left. The three moved forward simultaneously, pressing the attack and Shepard glanced up just in time to notice an incoming incendiary.

"Grenade!" She dove for cover, hitting the ground and rolling awkwardly. The blast reverberated off the walls and rang in her ears. Her vision swam, bright starbursts obstructing her line of sight. The commander closed her eyes, her perception akin to looking through warped glass.

"Commander?" Alenko called, concern in his voice.

Shepard coughed and leaned against a sturdy crate. "I'm good."

Jacob's voice rumbled through her earpiece. "Watch your six, we've got incoming."

The commander swore underneath her breath, willed her head to stop pounding, and opened her eyes. The haze had cleared somewhat and she was able to make out a lone figure closing on her position. Shepard squinted, but was unable to accurately target the hostile. She crouched back down and waited.

The sound of footsteps grew closer and Shepard activated her cloak. A heavily shielded batarian stepped into view beside her, close enough to touch. The commander stood and carefully stepped around him. She reached up, and gripped his head, twisting it violently to the side. He gasped in surprise just before his neck snapped. Her cloak dissipated as the body fell to the ground with a dull thud and she once more crouched behind cover.

Jacob whistled over the comm. "Remind me never to piss you off, Commander."

Shepard brushed off the comment and readied her weapon. Checking the scanner on her omni-tool she identified five other life signs within the vicinity, other than her crew. She keyed her mic. "Alenko on left flank; Jacob, you take point. I'm going to swing around back from the right."

"Affirmative, Commander."

"You got it, Commander."

Shepard stayed low, winding her way through the maze of crates, double-checking her scanner as she continued her meandering progression. Jacob and Alenko were doing a fine job of keep the opposition busy and her movements went unnoticed. She activated her cloak as she came upon a batarian, his heavy weapon mounted on top of a crate and aimed to her left. The commander cocked the hammer on her cannon as she stood, hoping the slight _click_ would go unnoticed. She squeezed the trigger and fired at point-blank range. Shepard dropped back into a crouch, ignoring the mess that now pooled on the floor.

The commander reloaded and scrambled away from the area, hoping to avoid his comrades who had surely heard her shot. She rounded a corner and took cover behind another crate. Glancing down, her omni-tool showed only three additional life signs present, all very near to her location. The commander activated her cloak again, and headed once more into the fray.

It was his voice that grabbed her attention, and Shepard made a bee-line to his location. A stout slaver, heavily armed and armored, barked orders to his two subordinates while pacing restlessly inside a makeshift fortification. He had stacked crates upon crates until they reached the ceiling, leaving only a small opening on either side for attack or escape. Apparently, strategy was not his forte.

Shepard switched to a heavy weapon, grateful that she had chosen to bring the bulky grenade launcher. She readied the weapon, cradling it in the crook of her arm, and keyed her mic.

"Fire in the hole!" The commander squeezed the trigger, the jolt of the recoil jerking her body. She used the additional force to carry her into a roll and away from the blast, tucking her body behind another crate. A deafening explosion rocked the room and then a still silence reigned, the smoke drifting lazily upward. Shepard checked her scanner noting the presence of only two life signs, both human.

She returned the launcher to its casing as she stood to examine the carnage. "Report."

"All hostiles down, Commander."

Shepard nodded. "Very good. Rally to my position, it looks like the main terminal is over here."

"Roger that, Commander."

She wound her way through a maze of overturned crates, shoving a few aside upon reaching the back wall. Before her was their mission objective. The large console lined the wall and several additional hubs attached alongside flickered with seemingly random lights. Alenko sidled up next to her, his arm extended as his omni-tool scanned for readings. Jacob remained slightly off center and at their backs, keeping watch for potential threats.

"Can you access it?" Shepard asked anxiously. It would be rather discouraging if they'd gone through all this trouble for nothing.

"Give me a moment, Commander." Alenko stepped up to the console and punched in a sequence of numbers. The terminal monitor lit up and a yellow stream of data scrolled down the left side. Alenko synced up his omni-tool and began the download while Jacob paced restlessly behind them.

"It doesn't look encrypted," Shepard scanned the data on the monitor. "Here, look at this."

Alenko stepped forward, leaning next to Shepard in order to get a better view. "This must be what Hackett was after."

The glow of the data feed lit her face as Shepard continued to review the information. She frowned as the stream continued to scroll down, taking note of familiar bits of information. "This is more than what Hackett was after. This contains records of funding from what appears to be a sect of the batarian government."

Alenko adjusted the speed of the data stream and enlarged the print. He leaned in closer, shoulder to shoulder with Shepard and pointed to the terminal. "This mentions the Leviathan of Dis – something about the status of the survey team that discovered it. And over here –" Alenko paused in his excitement upon seeing the expression on Shepard's face.

"Balak."

Alenko straightened and studied the commander, her brow creased with concern. "You took care of Balak."

She nodded absently as Jacob continued to pace. "We don't have time to review all of this here. How long until the download is complete?"

Alenko glanced down at his omni-tool. "Almost done, Commander."

"Good." Shepard stepped away from the console, still frowning as dozens of conspiracy theories raced through her head. She paced restlessly, eyes unfocused as she considered the potential implications of what little information she had discovered. "Alenko, make a copy of that once we reach the ship."

"Yes ma'am."

"Commander?" The concern in Jacob's voice drew her attention. "You should see this."

Shepard drew her cannon cautiously and joined Jacob by a pile of overturned crates. A slew of rifles littered the floor, but it was the origin of those weapons that had her most concerned.

Jacob had crouched down for a closer look and held up a rifle for her inspection. "Commander, I haven't seen anything like this since Eden Prime. What are they doing with geth technology?"

"Pulse rifles?" Shepard huffed irritably and examined nearby crates, overturning each one and spilling their contents across the floor. "They're almost all filled with geth tech."

"There's no way they acquired all this on their own." Jacob tossed the rifle back into the pile and stood up. "They're either trading with the geth, or have one hell of a good smuggler."

The commander chewed her lip in thought. "More likely the former, a smuggler wouldn't make it through their territory." Another wave of conspiracy theories cascaded through her mind and she glanced back at Alenko, gripped with a sudden sense of urgency. "Alenko, we need to go. Now."

Alenko switched off his omni-tool and wiped the console mainframe. "We're done here, Commander."


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Bioware owns most everything.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, drakontion, for all her help, and to everyone who's read and reviewed so far. Thanks for the feedback and for all the fun. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Chapter 10

_Captain's Personal Log: 0513-2186_

_I just sent Hackett the Logasiri report. It seems his intel contained information on geth weapons shipments. Apparently, the Alliance has been investigating the batarians' shady dealings for quite some time. Nice of him to drop that bomb on me; it would've been good to know what exactly I could've been up against. Fortunately, the slavers hadn't armed themselves yet, but they still had an impressive array of firepower. I suspect Hackett and the brass know more than they're telling me, but that's to be expected._

_EDI is still scrubbing the Logasiri files. She's been cautious when it comes to uploading foreign data and with good reason. I'm not sure what would happen if a virus got into her system now that she's unshackled. We've still had reports of bizarre system quirks, nothing serious, but definitely annoying. Miranda and Legion are still looking into it. Hopefully they'll be able to update me with some good news by this afternoon._

_I received word from Mordin. Apparently the STG has agreed to collaborate with us and is sending small recon units to various systems. Mordin didn't say where – he was worried about the security of the channel. I don't blame him, though. With all the information Liara is able to collect from insecure extranet leaks, I'm glad he didn't tell me. _

_Samara sent me a brief message as well. She has left asari space after receiving a tip on the rachni's agent and she's off to find her. She seems well enough; I think she even might be enjoying herself on this little jaunt. After all, tracking a single asari across the galaxy is all she's done for the past four hundred years, but this time she won't have to kill her. I'd say that's a nice change of pace._

_Liara sends me regular reports and keeps questioning me about Alenko. She seems to think that we're destined to be together and that I should just quit piddly-farting around and agree with her. If only it could be that simple. I told her I'd cut the feed to our connection if she mentions him in conversation again. That shut her up so far, but we'll see how long that lasts._

_Alenko and his team seem to be adjusting well and my crew to them. I even saw Hanson flirting with Ms. Chambers the other day. That would be a scary combination, but there are no regulations regarding fraternization in the Corsair program. Perhaps that should be rectified._

The cabin door slid open to her left and Shepard frowned in annoyance. "Aren't you supposed to request permission to enter the Captain's cabin?"

"Sorry, Commander." The smooth voice that answered surprised her, and Shepard looked up from her terminal. Alenko stood awkwardly in the entryway doing his best to hide his surprise as he surveyed her quarters. She watched him for a time, allowing him to digest all that he saw, although he frowned slightly upon noticing the giant aquarium. It was once again empty of fish and bathed her quarters in a soft, blue glow.

"Is there something you need, Alenko?" She exited out of her log and switched off her monitor.

Alenko rubbed his neck nervously, the glow of the aquarium shadowing his features. "I thought we should talk, Shepard."

She cocked an eyebrow. "'Shepard,' huh? How informal." Her throat tightened and she shuffled through a stack of data pads in an attempt to suppress the anxiety that was creeping up her spine. She wasn't ready for this, not yet.

Alenko's lips twitched in an attempt to smile, but failed miserably. "You didn't seem to mind before." Shepard paused in her movements but said nothing, giving Alenko the opportunity to plow ahead. "We didn't used to be like this, Shepard. You used to talk to me. You used to say my name."

"I do say your name, Alenko," she said flatly.

He frowned and his face darkened. "You know what I mean."

Shepard turned in her chair to face him, gathering what reserves of strength she still had left. "What do you want me to say, Kaidan? That I wish the SR1 had never gone down? That I hadn't died? That I was too busy trying to stop human abductions to cater to your sense of duty? It might have been two years of hell for you, but at least your memory wasn't sullied, your career derailed. At least you weren't abandoned by the very person who claimed to love you."

Alenko blanched at the last, but Shepard had opened long-sealed floodgates, and the torrent was now pouring out, unstoppable and wicked in its might. "Did you even stop to think before you opened your mouth on Horizon?"

"Shepard I –"

She cut him off as she slammed her hand on the desk, eyes blazing with pain and fury. "And then you back-peddle with an email? An email Kaidan, really? Was that your way out?" She knew she had struck a nerve at the last, but she didn't care. While she hated to admit it, Shepard had been aching to give him a piece of her mind, but had refrained from doing so in order to maintain a professional demeanor. She thought it might be easier that way. She had been so very wrong.

Alenko remained still and Shepard pinched the bridge of her nose in thought. She hadn't meant to lose control like that, although she secretly enjoyed the look on his face, but the situation between them was now infinitely worse. How did he always manage to elicit such strong reactions from her?

The cabin remained quiet for a time, the silence only interrupted by the soft purr of the aquarium filter as the bubbles floated rapidly to the surface. The imported seaweed drifted lazily to and fro, dancing to the rhythm of the ship; a peaceful scene completely at odds with the emotional chaos bombarding the room.

"Shepard," his voice was soft, barely audible above her own tangled thoughts. "You died. For two years I thought you were dead, only to find out that you weren't. When I saw you that day, I did the first thing that came to mind, the only thing I'd wanted to do since I lost you, but then I realized the rumors were true. You had joined Cerberus, the very organization that tried to profit off Saren's leftovers, using the same convoluted logic that he did."

Shepard pursed her lips but said nothing. She'd had her say and now it was his turn. He raked a hand through his hair and started pacing, his tags clinking lightly as he moved. "You read the information Liara gave you, you know why I reacted the way I did. I can't take back what I said, but you know I had a damn good reason for it."

Shepard glanced over to his unread OSD and berated herself silently. Her procrastination had compounded the very problem she'd been trying to avoid. She felt her throat tighten again, her voice lost as guilt blossomed in her gut.

Alenko turned toward her, a frown still upon his face. "Tell me what to do, Shepard."

She didn't realize how much she had wanted to hear those words until they fell from his lips and almost cried out in relief. She retained her pride, though, and willed herself to remain calm. Shepard could not afford to become an emotional quagmire with larger threats looming ahead. She would need to make a choice.

"You are my subordinate on this ship, Commander Alenko." Her voice was steel and she forced herself to continue despite the guilt pooling in her gut. "You will follow my orders and maintain discipline. Is that clear?"

A fleeting shot of pain ghosted across his face and he slowly nodded. "That's the way you want it?"

"That's the way it needs to be, Alenko."

He stepped toward her, lips parted and ready to speak, but EDI's blue avatar winked into existence beside him. "We are on approach to Tuchanka, Commander Shepard. ETA ten minutes."

"Thank you EDI." She stood quickly, grateful for the timely interruption and hurried toward the door. "I have to go. Joker's waiting for me on the bridge."

Shepard practically jumped into the elevator upon exiting her cabin, punching the button repeatedly again until the door finally closed. She exhaled slowly, relieved that she wouldn't have to share the awkward elevator ride down after that conversation. At least fate delivered small kindnesses occasionally, although she could always use more.

The hum of the gears came to a halt and the door opened, depositing her in the brightly lit CIC. Ms. Chambers was stationed at her terminal and awaiting her arrival.

"Commander, Corporal Hanson is ill. Dr. Chakwas has not cleared him for duty so he will be unable to accompany you on this mission."

Shepard nodded in thought. "Have Miranda suit up and meet me in the cargo bay."

Kelly barely suppressed a grimace. "Ms. Lawson has requested that she not be disturbed while investigating the glitches in EDI's systems. She is running tests with Legion and will be unable to present a report to you by this afternoon."

Apparently fate delivered small ironies as well. She'd already told Grunt that he would be accompanying her and that krogan was in need of a good fight before he tore her ship to pieces with his impatience. The commander sighed in exasperation as she realized who she would need to balance out the squad. "Inform Alenko that he is to suit up and meet me in the cargo bay. We leave in approximately ten minutes."

"Yes, Commander."

Shepard strode toward the bridge, purpose in her step and an ache in her chest. She tried to shake it off, readying for the landing on Tuchanka, but the guilt still gnawed at her. She'd just have to bear it while putting on her best "commander" face.

"Status, Joker."

"We're entering orbit now, Commander." He looked up from his calculations at the tone in her voice. "I'm guessing Alenko talked with you?"

Shepard cocked an eyebrow, but kept her eyes straight ahead. "I'm not in the mood, Joker."

He shrugged nonchalantly and returned to his attention to the console, muttering. "Maybe that's the problem."

O o O o O o O

The shuttle ride down had been awkward to say the least. Even Grunt, who knew next to nothing about human interaction, recognized that something was off. The tension in the small cabin made him more irritable than usual, and considering that he hadn't been groundside in some time, that irritation was quite animated.

Grunt had decided to express his discomfort by strutting back and forth across the small hold, pumping his fists and stomping the floor. It was a lively performance and a great distraction, but Shepard was forced to calm him down per the shuttle pilot's request. Apparently, Grunt's excitability was throwing off the newly adjusted stabilizers and the pilot didn't want to push his luck again.

It was a relief when they finally landed and Grunt was once more among his own kind, still held in high esteem for the thresher maw he had taken down earlier in the year. He acknowledged the new breeding requests, but fortunately for Shepard, the female clans were not visiting at the time. The last thing she needed was a rutting krogan on her squad. She already found it hard enough to focus as is.

The screams of the wind were dampened inside the complex, but could still be heard during a rare stillness within. They passed through the usual security protocols, various armored guards and varren populating the industrial corridors. Blood Pack members dotted the halls, generic threats dripping from their mouths and Shepard felt her patience grow thin. While Wrex wouldn't fault her for answering any of the threats, she questioned whether he would openly approve of it. Politics for any race seemed to be a tricky business.

Grunt rushed to the main door and punched the console, pacing as he waited impatiently for it to open. Alenko walked drag, eager to stay out of the krogan's way as well as Shepard's. She stood behind Grunt, his impatience infectious and found that like him, she could go for a good fight. Perhaps there would be another thresher maw to kill. One could only hope.

The door slid open roughly, screeching as it did so, and Grunt strutted inside. Shepard surveyed the area, noting the slight changes in the number of guards and their positions. It seemed as though clan Urdnot had increased in size and strength since she had last visited. She was curious as to what had transpired and made her way toward Wrex's "court."

The guards stopped her as they had before, but Shepard didn't have long to wait. Wrex waved her over, and she pushed past the guards, Grunt and Alenko on her heels. Urdnot Wrex welcomed her as only he could – with thick arms gesturing broadly and deep voice booming.

"Shepard!" He clasped a firm hand around her wrist and Shepard returned the gesture, suppressing a wince as her bones ground together. "I was wondering when I would see you again."

"Wrex, clan Urdnot grows strong." Shepard squeezed his wrist once more and then released her grip. "Surely you've been too busy to miss me."

Wrex laughed heartily, deep and throaty and terrifying to anyone not familiar with krogan mannerisms. He bared his teeth in a disturbing version of a smile, the vertical slits of his eyes widening. "We've had much to do Shepard. Uniting the clans isn't as easy as nuking a base."

An awkward silence fell over the group and Alenko shifted restlessly. Shepard slapped Wrex on the arm playfully, ignoring the tension and barely managing to make him budge. "So what's the word, Wrex?"

"No word, Shepard." He jerked his head to the right. "But I am glad you brought this rutting pup with you."

Grunt stepped forward excitedly. "It is an honor Clan Leader."

Wrex waved him aside impatiently. "Not you, young pup. Shepard's mate." He brushed past Grunt and slapped Alenko on the back in greeting, almost sending him tumbling forward. He recovered rather ungracefully and Shepard thought she saw a slight flush on his face.

"Good to see you too, Wrex," he practically coughed. "Same as ever, I see."

Another booming laugh escaped his maw, and the frightening smiled returned. "You too, Alenko. You too." He slapped on the back again for good measure, and returned to his seat, leaning forward in interest. "So the Savior of the Citadel has a new crew, or a new mission?"

She cocked her head to the side, a half smile on her lips. "A little bit of both, actually."

Wrex grunted, a deep growl on hot breath. "So what brings you to our brand of paradise?"

Shepard opened her mouth to speak, but stopped short as another krogan came lumbering into view. She stepped quickly aside before he plowed into her, narrowly avoiding an interspecies mishap. The anonymous krogan bowed briefly before Wrex and started rambling incoherently. Wrex held up his hand, signaling for him to slow down, and listened intently to his message.

The krogan's voice rumbled through the court, but Shepard was only able to catch bits and pieces of the conversation. She glanced over at Alenko and Grunt who looked just as confused as she was. Well, if it was important then Wrex would explain. If not, then it would be nothing to worry about.

Wrex nodded slowly and dismissed the messenger. He looked to Shepard and waved her over. Apparently, it was important news and Shepard almost laughed at her luck.

"It seems we have a problem, Shepard."

"Oh really? I would never have suspected." She didn't try to hide the tone of her voice. Wrex seemed to respect her more when she was pissed off.

"It seems one of the clans has decided to rebel, and they have fertile females among them."

"What do you need me to do, old friend?"

Wrex shook his head, the scars on his face catching the light just so. "This is a krogan matter, Shepard. While I like your enthusiasm, we need to handle our own."

"I got one of your own right here, Wrex."

The clan leader eyed Shepard for a time, seeming to consider her offer. Long moments passed until he finally nodded slowly in agreement. "Very well, Shepard."


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Bioware owns almost all.

A/N: Thanks to my beta and all the readers following along. Have a little Grunt and some violence.

Chapter 11

Clan Tzer was known for their skill in battle and the number of fertile females included in their number. They also happened to be one of the last holdouts preventing total krogan reunification. According to the messenger, the clan leader Tzer Faeng refused to share females with other clans and had been preparing to assault the neutral ground of Clan Urdnot. When dissent developed in the ranks, Tzer Faeng strung up the so-called traitors, stripped them of their armor, and left their bodies for the varren to gnaw on. Grunt had grown agitated upon hearing this, claiming that Faeng should receive similar treatment.

Shepard briefly contemplated letting Grunt have his way, but cast the thought aside as she was thrown against the inner hull of the Tomkah. The drive across the wastelands had always been rough, but Shepard still frowned as she tried to ignore the pain in her head. Alenko didn't seem to be faring much better, as he struggled to sit upright. He hadn't said a word to her the entire mission.

Grunt appeared to be having fun, his heavier frame rocking to and fro as he imagined new and inventive ways to dispose of enemies. Shepard wished his enthusiasm was as infectious as his impatience, but it would do her little good at present. Right now, all she wanted was for them to reach their destination and exit the Tomkah so she could get her feet on solid ground. She swore loudly as the vehicle plowed through a rather large pothole. This ride could not be over soon enough.

It took another ten standard minutes for them to reach their destination, and a relieved Shepard hopped out agilely, firmly planting her feet on the ground. The bumps and bruises she could deal with, but it was the lack of control she hated. She made a mental note to ask if she could drive next time.

Grunt jumped out after her, pounding his fists and raring to go. Alenko hopped out next, dusting himself off and taking in the desolate view. Debris littered the area, skittering wildly in the screaming wind. Grunt's large form stood sturdily amidst the maelstrom, altering his path only slightly as the debris randomly pelted him. Shepard and Alenko did their best to avoid getting hit, but the commander occasionally felt the jolt of an impact. Her shields held up, though, for which she was grateful.

They made their way forward into Tzer territory, awaiting the inevitable confrontation. Shepard was sure that the scouts had already spotted them and they continued forward carefully, winding their way through various wreckage and debris. It was Alenko who identified their first enemy, sending Grunt into a fit of envy and charging forward. Shepard knelt down behind the remains of a wall, metal rods similar to Earth's rebar jutting out haphazardly. Shouldering her widow she sighted through the scope.

Grunt was already in a berserker rage and had taken down a charging varren. Shepard wasn't surprised, though, given how long he'd kept his nature in check. She adjusted the focus of her scope and zeroed in on an incoming hostile. The commander readied herself for the recoil and fired, dropping the krogan as it approached Grunt's position. He didn't bother to turn around, but continued to advance. Shepard reloaded quickly, once more adjusting her scope in order to keep him covered.

Alenko crept up the right flank, providing Grunt with supporting fire and overloading enemy weapons, but still close enough to Shepard to cover her six. She checked her scanner, noting the positions of the approaching krogan, and pressed forward. The commander needed to keep up with Grunt's pace before he got himself killed.

Shepard and Alenko moved swiftly, following the path of carnage that Grunt left in his wake, Shepard occasionally pausing to shoot and improve his odds. Their trek through the remainder of the wastelands didn't last long, and they caught up to Grunt by a reinforced door. Alenko frowned as he examined the console.

"Tell me you can get it open." Shepard stated. She had a bad feeling about this, and no sooner had she reloaded then a burst of fire caught her attention. "Incoming!"

Shepard threw herself behind the wreckage of a Tomkah while Grunt and Alenko crouched behind a half wall, popping up sporadically to return fire. Bits of debris clattered against the wreckage and hostile krogans charged their positions.

Alenko let loose with an electric pulse, burning enemies and shorting out their weapons. Grunt maintained something akin to discipline and bellowed ferociously with each shotgun blast. Shepard activated her cloak and leaned out of cover, aiming for the closest threat. She spotted a Tzer clan member nearby and adjusted her sights accordingly. Pain shot through her shoulder as she fired, but it only fueled her adrenaline.

She returned the widow to its casing and switched to her cannon. The incoming enemies were getting too close for her rifle, and she required greater freedom of movement. Shepard crouched low and activated her cloak once more, spraying the field with gunfire. The area exploded in a burst of light as Grunt lobbed a grenade into the fray and she used that time to reload.

Shepard glanced behind her as she noticed the door console change color from red to green. Tzer had them cornered and now appeared to be attempting a rear assault as well. She turned to Alenko and keyed her radio.

"Keep that door closed. We'll cover you."

He nodded, and ran to the doorway, shields flashing as the bullets flew by. Alenko activated his omni-tool and went to work, Grunt covering him with gleeful enthusiasm.

Shepard popped out of cover, taking aim at whatever moved, and landing a hit on a charging varren. She crouched back down just in time to see a vorcha turn the corner beside her, his red eyes menacing and teeth dripping with ooze. The commander lunged forward as the vorcha fired, his shot going wide as she dove to the ground. Exposed, Shepard fired a single round into his leg, sending him sprawling as he screeched in pain. She scrambled back into cover as the incoming fire pelted her shields, and fired another round into the vorcha's head. The commander ignored the spray of gore as it splattered her armor, and checked her ammo count.

Grunt rained gunfire down on the field, roaring as he launched a concussion grenade. Alenko continued to work on the door, his shields flaring brightly, but he appeared to be making progress. However, as Shepard watched, he jerked violently to the side and twisted unnaturally. The commander was on her feet before she even realized it.

"Grunt! Suppressing fire!"

The order had been automatic as she raced across the field, the fog of anxiety doing nothing to dampen her reflexes. It seemed forever before she reached him, when in reality only a few seconds had passed. In a flurry of motion she grabbed his body and hauled him into cover. There she knelt down and scanned his vitals, pushing her building panic away.

No organs had been hit, but he had taken a heavy shot to his shoulder. He glanced up at her, still silent, and grimaced as she injected a dose of medigel into his system. Shepard paused for a moment, a string of confessions on her lips, but turned her attention to the door instead. Their security needed to take top priority.

She activated her cloak and examined the locking mechanism. Alenko had almost completed the bypass, but a few more connections were needed. Shepard ignored the sounds of combat and focused her attention of the electronics, making the necessary contacts. She would worry about trying to unlock it later.

The door console changed back to red and Shepard returned to cover, her cloak dissipating once more. She glanced down at Alenko who was now propped up on his good arm, doing his best to assist Grunt with the attack. She placed a hand on his shoulder and he met her eyes briefly, an unrecognizable look on his face. The moment was lost as Shepard's attention was jerked back to the present by the impact of a missile against the wall which sheltered them.

"Heavy weapon incoming!" Grunt boomed.

Shepard snorted, but said nothing. The heat of combat had died off somewhat and Shepard realized that they were trying to press their attack by sending in the heavies. Heavies were slow. She could do slow.

The commander shouldered her widow and adjusted the scope, activating her cloak as she sighted. Just as she suspected, a series of vorcha pyros were making their way forward. Shepard closed her eyes as the blast from Grunt's grenade lit up the field, and waited impatiently for the smoke to clear. The three vorcha were down, their charred remains still flickering, and Shepard zeroed in on the target with the missile launcher. She spotted him quickly, leaning out of cover and aiming at Grunt. The commander squeezed the trigger lovingly, relishing the sharp pain that bloomed across her shoulder.

She reloaded, sighted, and fired time after time until it seemed Clan Tzer had no more fodder to feed them. The trio waited impatiently as the din of battle settled, still ready for any surprise. There was none forthcoming, however, and Shepard stood to survey the area.

"Grunt, check the perimeter and stay within sight." He nodded brusquely and Shepard knelt down, scanning Alenko once again. He shifted clumsily and leaned against the remnants of a wall, frowning.

Shepard paused her scan and caught his gaze. Fierce, dark eyes mirrored the frustration in her own and she looked away. The commander could not afford to get emotional, not on a mission. They still had too much to do before they could return, and she was going to have to maintain control in order to succeed.

"What's the damage, Alenko? Can you continue?" She stood back up, her voice more detached than she had meant it to be. He rolled his left shoulder, trying to suppress a wince and failing. "Use another shot of medigel. I need you functional."

"Yes, Commander." He frowned as the meds surged through him, and stood up gingerly, testing his ability to remain upright. Alenko shifted his weight and rolled his shoulder again, the expression on his face softer than before.

Shepard felt the urge to smooth the residual lines of pain from his face, but resisted as she remembered their earlier discussion. Instead she turned her back on him and sought out Grunt. He was making a sweep of the perimeter, staying within sight just as she had ordered.

"Grunt, report."

He trotted over to her position, glancing back occasionally as if he were expecting another assault. "Perimeter secure, Battlemaster. They have run out of whelps to throw at us."

"So it seems," she noted almost absently, her eyes scanning the horizon. "Keep an eye out while Alenko and I open the door."

"Yes, Battlemaster."

Shepard watched him tromp through the grisly wreckage, performing his duty with the blunt enthusiasm that only a krogan could. Behind her, Alenko shuffled to the console, still reeling from effects of the gunshot. The commander eyed him, his movements etching her face with concern. Balance shouldn't be a factor if he'd only been shot in the shoulder.

"Status, Alenko."

"Ready and able, Commander."

She frowned at the slight hitch in his voice and activated her tool again. Scans showed no evidence of additional injury and she shot him a questioning look. "Migraine?"

"Yes." His voice was flat as Alenko continued to bypass the console once more, the various wires poking out and catching on his armor.

"What do you need?"

"I need to get this door open so we can complete the mission, Commander." He continued to work without meeting her eyes. "Somebody fried the contacts and I have to reroute the majority of the connections. It'll take me a few minutes."

Shepard cringed inwardly, but readied her pistol and scanned the horizon again. Grunt was still on point, ready and very willing to engage incoming hostiles, but so far there had been none. Once Alenko opened the door, however, that was likely to change. She expected the main portion of Clan Tzer's force to be inside the ruined compound, and was looking forward to testing their mettle.

The light on the console blinked green and Alenko glanced up at her as he readied his pistol. "We're in."

O o O o O o O

Commander Shepard wiped down her armor, the heavy curtain of dust falling slowly to the ground. She had managed to take cover quick enough to avoid Grunt's bombardment of Tzer forces, but the aftermath showered her with debris. They had pushed their way through the compound, continuously engaging hostile forces around each corner. Clan Tzer appeared to be fond of ambush tactics, but Shepard and her team had a few tricks in their bag as well.

Grunted rumbled opposite her, shaking his head and spraying dust in all directions like a dog after a bath. The slits of his eyes narrowed and he bared his teeth in a feral grin. "I think we got 'em, Shepard."

Light filtered through the holes in the ceiling and highlighted the specks of dust dancing in the air. She frowned as she surveyed the collapsed interior, toppled beams and supports littering the floor. Grunt's enthusiasm was appreciated, but could be a bit overwhelming at times. However, he did get results, the enemy was down, and they had only one more room to clear before calling it a day.

The percussive sounds of shifting debris drew her attention and she turned to see Alenko crawling over the wreckage, little pebbles still streaming down the fallen girders. He shot a withering glare Grunt's way as he brushed off his armor, but the krogan took no notice. By the look in his eye, Alenko's migraine had not yet abated, although he'd done admirably on the mission considering.

Shepard checked her omni-tool and examined the diagram. According to the infrastructure readings the entrance to the next room was just around the corner, although she'd have to navigate the wreckage in order to get there. She switched off her 'tool, extinguishing the soft yellow glow and motioned to the others. Grunt's eyes widened in anticipation and Alenko reloaded his pistol as he followed behind him.

The commander clambered over fallen support struts, slipping occasionally on the loose rock. Alenko followed suit, but because of his size and shape, Grunt had difficulty climbing over the larger pieces of wreckage. At one point, Shepard and Alenko had to literally pull him across a fallen pylon. Shepard had never seen an embarrassed krogan until that moment.

Fortunately, the entrance was blocked only by a modest rafter, which Grunt effortlessly cast aside. Alenko moved to hack the door's console, but found it was already unlocked. It seemed that Tzer Faeng was expecting them. Shepard readied her cannon as Alenko and Grunt took their positions and opened the door.

A single, enormous krogan awaited them inside, his armored back to them as if contemplating a curiosity on the wall ahead. Shepard motioned to the others who slid inside and flanked him, weapons trained and ready.

"We've been sent to bring you in, Faeng." Shepard stepped forward cautiously, examining the layout of the room as she did so.

The large krogan remained unmoving. "Clan Urdnot must be weak indeed if they send a human to do their bidding."

Grunt moved further into the room, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. "I am of Clan Urdnot and we rely on no one else to fight our battles."

The commander raised her cannon and trained it on his head as Faeng growled darkly. "And you must be the oversized whelp that I've heard so much talk of."

Grunt snorted. "I haven't heard any talk of you."

Faeng swung his enormous tan head in Grunt's direction, red eyes rolling back in fury. "I've crushed bugs more important than you. Clan Urdnot will fall, just as others have before. It is the way of the krogan."

Shepard mentally sighed in irritation. She had heard enough talk. "Are you going to come with us, or are we going to have to drag your heavy ass back to camp?"

A low rumble echoed throughout the room and Shepard realized Faeng was laughing, heavy black armor shaking from his mirth. "You may try."

He moved fast for a krogan, but Alenko moved faster and discharged an electronic pulse, effectively overloading Faeng's weapons. It was of no consequence, though, as Faeng rushed Grunt, knocking the younger krogan off his feet with a biotic field. Shepard swore irritably, she should've have suspected that Faeng had biotic capabilities as a clan leader.

She opened fire, moving laterally as Faeng turned his attention toward her. A vicious snarl escaped his maw and he launched another biotic assault, barely missing her as she dove for cover behind what used to be a desk. Shepard saw Alenko initiate his own biotic attack, sending a wave of dark energy at the approaching krogan. He paused in his charge, momentarily halted by the force of Alenko's barrage, but quickly resumed control.

Shepard popped out of cover and fired again as Faeng made to charge, and saw that Grunt was back on his feet out of the corner of her eye. She only needed to buy him a few more minutes and continued to fire. Alenko sent another pulse at Faeng, but it did nothing to slow the barreling krogan. Shepard activated her cloak and scrambled out of his way, barely avoiding Faeng and the desk he effortlessly swatted aside.

The commander increased the distance between her and Faeng, abandoning the search for cover in such a small room. Her cloak dissolved and she opened fire once more, pelting the dark krogan with a hail of bullets. Faeng reeled from the impact and Alenko discharged another electronic pulse. Grunt charged from his rear, battering the clan leader with powerful bursts from his shotgun.

Faeng stumbled under the onslaught and Grunt pressed his advantage, rushing the older krogan and knocking him down. Shepard and Alenko maintained supporting fire, keeping Faeng on the ground. Grunt pummeled him mercilessly, war cries echoing off the walls as he shattered any chance for Tzer's leader to regenerate. The commander strode over and placed a strong hand on Grunt's arm.

He turned to her, eyes shining with reckless ferocity, but managed to rein in his rage. Shepard checked the ammo count on her cannon and fired a single round into Faeng's head, and then another just to be sure he couldn't regenerate. The commander cocked an eyebrow and sighed in annoyance as she surveyed the body. It looked like they'd be hauling his heavy ass back to camp.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Bioware owns almost all.

A/N: Thanks to everbody who's following along. Shepard and Alenko are going to hate me after this chapter.

Chapter 12

Commander Shepard did not shrink from violence or gore, nor did she oppose the celebration of soldiers after a victory, but she was a bit put off by the company. As was his right as clan leader, Wrex determined the way to best dispose of Tzer Faeng's remains was to duplicate his disciplinary techniques. The newly deceased was stripped of his armor, strung up by his heels, and left to dangle over the varren fighting pit. Clan members took bets on which body part would be devoured first, and the varren howled shrilly. Commander Shepard could have done without the varren.

Wrex had not been surprised when Grunt threw down the fresh corpse in front of him, and made sure that all who were listening recognized him as Clan Urdnot. If possible, Grunt seemed to stand even taller, practically beaming with pride.

He had joined the fray surrounding the pit, barking out his bets and fighting for the best view of the spectacle. Shepard and Alenko remained on the rise with Wrex, observing from afar. She watched him interact with his fellow clan members while Alenko and Wrex visited, curious to see how others would respond to his tank-bred status. Grunt appeared to have no difficulty assimilating into their culture and seemed to be regarded highly by the others. Shepard guessed it was either due to this latest stunt, or Urdnot was still talking about the thresher maw. She found herself once more thanking the powers that be the female clan was not currently in attendance.

Her musings were interrupted as Wrex shoved a drink in her hand and she turned around to face him. He lumbered toward his usual seat, rumbling deeply as he sat down. Alenko had perched on a large slab of rubble next to him, a drink in his hand as well. Shepard didn't know if she should be relieved or concerned by this turn of events and the look on Alenko's face mirrored her own.

"Ratch had some of that filth lying around and I remember you mentioned how much you like it."

The deep growl of Wrex's voice did nothing to dampen Shepard's curiosity. She gazed at the amber liquid in her glass, swirling it gently in thought. It smelled familiar, looked familiar, so she might as well see if it tasted familiar. A sharp burn shot down her throat and Shepard recognized the drink as very cheap whiskey. She took another hearty swallow and looked over at the other commander who was still considering his options.

Wrex laughed, a deep booming bellow, as he watched Shepard down the rest of her drink. He tapped his head plate, imitating the human gesture. "What's the human saying? Steel trap?"

Shepard quirked a smile and nodded. "Apparently, Wrex. I can't believe you remembered some off-hand comment like that."

He leaned back and relaxed into his seat, red eyes rolling with mirth. "It is strange the things I remember from our tour on the Normandy." He glanced over at Alenko who was still contemplating the beverage in his hand. "I remember that this rutting whelp once enjoyed my company. Drink, Alenko."

Alenko shot Wrex a look of irritated amusement and took a swig of his whiskey. Wrex clapped him on the shoulder playfully, nearly knocking him off his perch, and signaled to one of his attendants. The bottle of cheap whiskey miraculously appeared in his hands and he set it on the ground as Wrex waved him away. Shepard settled down beside it and refilled her glass, taking note of Wrex's empty hands.

"Isn't it rude for us to drink without the clan leader?"

Wrex inclined his enormous head and reached down beside his "throne." A large earthenware jug was nestled in the rubble, and Wrex plucked it out as if it weighed nothing. He undid the stopper and took a long pull. Shepard suppressed a wince as the scent of ryncol wafted through the air and tickled her nose. He eyed her with what looked like merriment.

"Are you game, Shepard?" He extended the jug toward her.

She remembered her last wild romp with ryncol and decided against it. "No thanks, Wrex." She raised her glass to him. "This will tear me up enough for one day."

He let loose with thundering laughter, leaning back once more, the jug settled at his side. Alenko appeared to be making progress and Shepard handed him the bottle of liquor. He accepted it without pause, topping off his glass. Wrex bared his teeth in a smile, familiar and ferocious all at once.

"So Wrex, is this how krogan celebrate their victories?" The bite of the whiskey had softened and Shepard took another swallow.

Wrex seemed to mull the question over before responding. "We celebrate not only the victory against Tzer, but the addition of their females as well. I would think that you would understand breeding as a reason to celebrate?"

Alenko coughed suddenly, seeming to choke on his beverage. Shepard shifted uncomfortably and attempted to redirect the conversation. "How do you think the Council will respond to the unified krogan clans?"

"You and I have the same opinion of the Council, Shepard. If they can't use us to their advantage, then they'll make sure to keep us neutered."

She leaned back against a slab of debris and tried to relax. Wrex and Shepard did indeed have similar feelings on the Council's motives and ability, and given the opportunity, the politicians would screw them both over if there were any gain were to be had. However, while Wrex didn't need their assistance and resources, they could certainly benefit Shepard on this mission and she detested that fact.

"So you don't think anything will change the krogan's council status?" She eyed Wrex over her glass, gauging his reaction.

He rested his head on his hand, the vertical slits of his eyes narrowing. "No, Shepard. They stay safe in the knowledge that the krogan will eventually die out, either from the genophage or our own self-destruction."

Shepard studied the krogan leader. The weight of responsibility had not taken its toll on his body, but she was able to tell by the stern tone of his voice that the burden he now carried was indeed heavy. Wrex had mentioned krogan fatalism once before, and despite rarely ever speaking of it, she recognized that it was a subject that deeply troubled him.

She took another sip, the bitter liquid now sliding smoothly down her throat. "So can I still count on Urdnot support?"

His armor creaked as Wrex leaned forward conspiratorially. "Give us an enemy, Shepard, and I'll show you true krogan."

Her attention was wrenched away from their conversation by the sound of the whiskey bottle, tinkling as it fell against the rubble. Shepard frowned slightly as she noticed Alenko, still perched on the slab of debris with his head in his hands. She stood up, concerned, and then regretted her decision as she realized how much liquor she had consumed. The commander took a moment to steady herself, then stepped carefully over to him.

He met her gaze, the expression on his face a sort of relaxed confusion. She took his chin in her hands and examined his eyes, all the while trying to maintain her own balance, and noted the dilation of his pupils.

"I thought your migraine was gone? You didn't drink that much did you?" She cupped his head gently in her palms, the liquor in her system dampening her usual self control.

He covered her hand with his and blinked up at her simply. "I think my migraine meds are interacting with the whiskey." His voice was soft, almost childlike in its innocence, and Shepard felt the tickle of laughter simmer within her.

"You're high?"

Shepard dropped her hands from his face as he glanced around, nodding absently. "I think I am?"

Normally, the commander would have reprimanded a subordinate for this sort of behavior in this sort of environment. Krogan were not known for tolerating the weak, which included those who could not handle their liquor. As it stood, however, Shepard was also more inebriated than she had first thought, which led her to believe that the cheap whiskey was not, in fact, actually whiskey. She turned from her subordinate and his altered state and tried to scowl at Wrex.

"It's not whiskey, is it." It was more of a statement than a question.

Wrex rolled his eyes forward in what was considered a krogan frown. "It is too whiskey. Batarian make."

Shepard pinched the bridge of her nose in thought, irritated with herself for getting into this situation. She glanced back at Alenko who was gazing around the room blankly, a stupid grin plastered across his face. She would have to get him out of here and soon, as neither one obviously understood the interaction between batarian whiskey and human medications.

The commander glanced over her shoulder and scanned the crowd, recognizing Grunt's large form as he shouted and roared animatedly. From the look of it, he had secured a front row seat to the varren feeding frenzy. She hoped he didn't fall in.

"Wrex, I've got to get Alenko back to the ship. Can you inform Grunt that he has two hours before the shuttle returns to pick him up? He needs to have some time to unwind." Shepard watched in morbid fascination as Grunt's armor was suddenly sprayed with blood.

"Very well, Shepard." Wrex shifted in his seat as he watched Shepard pull Alenko upright. "You're off to play nursemaid to your mate then?"

The commander mentally frowned as she tried to think of a way to explain their relationship, and then abandoned the idea as her verbal skills were not quite up to par at present. She wasn't even sure that _she_ understood what was happening between them. However, Shepard _did_ recognize that she would have to cross batarian whiskey off the list of casual liquors, only saving it for those times when she needed to drink herself stupid.

"I'll be in touch, Wrex. And next time I'll bring the libations."

She slung Alenko's arm around her neck and pulled him with her, Wrex roaring with laughter as they shuffled down the rise. Alenko occasionally tripped on the rubble, and while he wasn't complete dead weight, his balance was certainly off. They ran into the wall multiple times upon entering the hallway, Shepard's vocabulary growing more and more vulgar the further they progressed.

His head lolled awkwardly and he rolled it to the left, meeting her eyes and smiling ridiculously. "Thanks, Shep. I know I need to get to the shuttle –" Alenko attempted to point toward the landing pad, but only succeed in flailing his arm about. "- is it this way?"

Shepard snickered drunkenly, mentally berating herself for her lack of discipline, and stumbled forward. The landing pad was just a bit further and beyond the next door. They had made decent progress, leaning on each other like a pair of cadets on shore leave, working to place on foot in front of the other. Unfortunately, they were confronted by the bane of drunks everywhere: stairs.

The commander paused momentarily, Alenko still clinging clumsily to her, and considered her options. The fog in her brain had not evaporated like she thought it would; rather the opposite. It seemed that batarian whiskey did not cycle through her system like most other liquors did. Shepard made a mental note of this, but promptly forgot as she contemplated the stairs.

She stepped up boldly, maintaining her balance and pulling Alenko along with her. He stumbled and fell toward the wall, trapping her against him. Their armor clanked together loudly, echoing down the hall as his heavier body crashed against hers. Shepard could _feel_ the nearness of him and he leaned on her for a time, trying to regain his balance. Alenko's gaze met hers, pupils still dilated, and ran a gloved finger along her cheek. Warmth flooded her body and Shepard fought the urge to pull him even closer. Chocolate eyes searched hers and Shepard could have wept with want, but a strange look crossed his face. He immediately doubled over and vomited on her boots.

Shepard was disgusted. It wasn't the sound of Alenko's retching, or the stench of puke assaulting her nostrils, but rather her lack of composure. Tough-as-nails Commander Shepard had gotten drunk and almost taken advantage of a subordinate officer. She sighed irritably and pulled Alenko up the stairs, the two finally stumbling through the door and onto the landing pad.

She could not get inside the shuttle fast enough, half stumbling, half barging past the krogan guards. The shuttle door slid open and the commander practically threw Alenko inside, securing his harness in place and ignoring the looks of curiosity from the shuttle pilot.

"Get us back to the Normandy," she managed to utter, working to figure out the bindings on her own harness. Alenko sat across from her, his head lolling forward loosely, then side to side as the shuttle took off. The sudden shift in gravity as they broke through the atmosphere made her stomach turn, and Shepard started to worry that Alenko's might not be the only vomit on her boots today.

She ordered the pilot to contact Dr. Chakwas and have her ready for their arrival, shuddering as she thought of all the potential repercussions. At least she had completed her mission before getting completely hammered.

The doctor was waiting for them when they arrived and she shot Shepard a curious look. "What happened down there?"

The commander shook her head, instantly regretting the sudden movement. "Alenko seems to be suffering from a medication interaction."

Chakwas noticed the slur in her voice and examined her with the intense scrutiny only a doctor could employ. "Have you been drinking?"

Guilt coursed through her veins and Shepard suddenly felt the urge to shoot something. "Wrex had some batarian whiskey that he shared with us. The krogan were celebrating – Grunt still is."

Dr. Chakwas frowned, reminding the commander of an angry mother hen. "Well, bring Alenko to medical. I'll see to him there."

How they got to medical, Shepard wasn't quite sure. She remembered Dr. Chakwas helping her carry Alenko, and then tripping over a crate in the cargo hold, but the rest was a blur. She did recognize the bright lights and pungent scent of antiseptic and realized she was in the med bay. Apparently, the fog in her brain had not quite dissolved.

Dr. Chakwas was busying herself at one of her many medical stations, her terminal lit up with data feeds and diagrams. She shot Shepard an interested look and turned to face her.

"Feeling better, are you?"

The commander rubbed her arm absently. "I suppose."

Chakwas nodded and gestured to Shepard's arm. "I injected you with a derivative of Acemposyte. It should counteract the effects of the alcohol that you ingested."

"Oh," she said lamely. Shepard searched the room until she saw Alenko lying on the examination table next to hers. His arm was flopped over his eyes and he grumbled incoherently.

"What exactly was it that Wrex gave you?"

"Batarian whiskey."

Dr. Chakwas shook her head in admonishment. "How old was it?"

"No idea." Shepard could feel the impending chastisement. "Wrex said it was something that Ratch had lying around."

"Ah," Chakwas said thoughtfully and returned to her terminal. "Some batarian ales degrade with time. You're lucky the effects weren't any worse."

Alenko shuffled loudly on the table, struggling to sit up straight. Dr. Chakwas walked purposely over to him, syringe in hand. Shepard watched as the doctor quizzed him, questioning him about his migraine, current symptoms, and spatial comprehension. Alenko mumbled something unintelligible, his brows furrowed in confusion. With little resistance from her patient, Chakwas pulled his arm straight, swabbed it, and promptly stuck it. Alenko winced, but remained still.

Dr. Chakwas returned to her terminal and Shepard swiveled around on the table to face Alenko. He looked up at her, the confusion written across his face.

"How are you feeling?"

Alenko seemed deep in thought, contemplating a response, but instead of answering, he pointed to her feet. The medicated grin returned accompanied by innocent wonder in his voice.

"Shepard, I puked on your boots."


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Bioware owns almost all, sadly.

A/N: Thanks to all who are following along, and to my beta, drakontion, for her help. To Lyss: Kaidan's OSD as requested.

Chapter 13

Her head ached and her body was sore, and the bright lights in the CIC did nothing to improve Shepard's disposition, but that was no reason to avoid work. Alenko had recovered from his bout of poisoning, and Grunt had been picked up, although the shuttle pilot wasn't thrilled with the blood splatters in the cabin. Overall, the mission on Tuchanka had been a success despite a few kinks in protocol.

Ms. Chambers had left her workstation hours ago at the end of her shift, and the CIC was quiet at the start of third watch. Shepard worked at her terminal, reviewing old messages and scanning the new. It was surprising at times just how many missives, requests, and junk actually accumulated in the inbox. She might need to have a word with Kelly about resetting her mail preferences.

A light flashed on her terminal and Miranda's voice purred through the comm. system. "Commander, please come to my quarters. I have the report you requested."

Shepard stretched tiredly before entering the elevator. She had been interested to see what Miranda was able to discover, and from the tone of her voice, it was something intriguing indeed.

The door to Miranda's quarters slid open almost silently, whispering softly in the still night. Miranda was seated behind her desk as usual, her face a mask of neutrality. She handed Shepard a data pad, and waited patiently as the commander sat down to review her report.

Shepard's face darkened as she scanned the information. She looked up at Miranda with a deep scowl. "You're sure about this?"

Miranda nodded, dark hair catching on her collar. "The individual in question was able to access EDI's mainframe, while at the same time preventing her from identifying the culprit. Some form of shielding program was used to cover his tracks."

Shepard nodded as she scanned the information once more. "And Legion was able to trace this program?"

"No." The words fell from her lips with certainty. "Legion's systems were just as blind as EDI's. We had to manually go through the code line by line to trace the path of the program and identify what information was downloaded."

She tossed the data pad onto Miranda's desk, the clattering noise irritating her further. "Were you able to trace the data theft?"

"Yes." Miranda made to offer Shepard a second data pad, but then thought better of it. "The lines of code were garbled, but we were able to discover the data theft consisted of Cerberus intelligence. Shepard, even I didn't have access to some of this information."

Shepard nodded in thought again, the frown ever present on her face. "Bring Lieutenant Young in. Let's have a word with him."

"Yes, Commander." Miranda activated the comm. system, ordering Young to her office. Shepard stood and paced restlessly, troubled by the fact that one of her crew could so easily access the systems even Miranda could not. She hated the feeling of frustration that ran rampant within her.

The door chimed, and slid open quietly as Lt. Young entered. Miranda gestured to a chair while Shepard ceased her pacing and leaned against the door frame. She was content to allow Miranda to handle the interrogation; this was her investigation after all.

Young fidgeted irritably as he sat down, throwing a curious glance at Shepard. She returned it with a venomous look of her own, impatiently awaiting his justifications for violating the integrity of her ship. What possible reason could he have to steal data? Shepard's mind worked furiously as she contemplated a myriad of scenarios, each one more treacherous than the next.

Miranda sat quietly, patiently, studying Young as if she thought he might taste appetizing. Shepard remained unmoving, still contemplating the potential implications of Young's actions. The lieutenant shifted in his seat and fidgeted, growing more and more impatient as the silence continued. Shepard could imagine the predatory smile on Miranda's face.

"Is there a reason I'm here?" Young spat.

Miranda leaned back in her chair, pleased with the mood of their meeting. "Yes Lieutenant. Would you mind telling me why you were downloading intelligence files in engineering approximately two weeks after coming aboard?"

Young snapped his mouth shut and Miranda remained still, intent on her target. Shepard feigned interest in her fingernails, pretending to focus half her attention on the discussion. Young frowned, as if he was formulating a denial.

"We know it was you, Young." Shepard's voice was barely audible, her anger boiling just beneath a seemingly calm exterior.

The lieutenant sighed reluctantly and reached into his side pocket, pulling out an OSD. He tossed it onto Miranda's desk, the light in her eyes the only telltale sign of her satisfaction.

"Fine." Young stated bluntly. "Here's the data. You happy?"

Miranda inserted the OSD into her terminal and scanned the information. She glanced back at Shepard who nodded slightly. "Lieutenant, the commander does not tolerate unauthorized access to ship systems. You are confined to quarters pending further investigation. Staff Commander Alenko will be notified of your disciplinary action and if you have complaints, you may take it up the chain of command."

Young opened his mouth and started to protest until his saw the look on Shepard's face. He snapped his mouth shut once more, and remained unmoving in his seat. Miranda looked back over to him as if she was surprised he hadn't left yet.

"Dismissed, Lieutenant." She added it as almost an afterthought, her attention now focused on the data feed scrolling down her terminal. Miranda gestured to Shepard as Young stalked out the door. "Take a look at this."

Miranda paused the feed and enlarged the print, and Shepard leaned in to examine it. If possible, the frown on her face deepened.

"Those names, I recognize some of them. They're Alliance brass."

Miranda nodded slightly and continued the data stream. "It seems Young has discovered Cerberus agents within top Alliance positions." She pointed to another feed. "And it looks like he's also compiled a list of Cerberus agents who have _other_ interests as well."

"You mean they're working for the Shadow Broker?"

Miranda nodded in assent. "It sure looks that way."

Shepard chewed her lip in thought and started pacing once more. "How accurate is this information?"

"Judging by the quality of the data, the security of EDI's memory banks, and the sophistication of that shielding program – I'd say it's accurate."

"Verify it."

"Yes, Commander."

"And once that's done, and you're sure it's authentic, send me a copy and one to Liara. She may be able to use those contacts to our advantage." Shepard stopped pacing and met Miranda's eyes. "So all those little glitches were related to one incident of hacking?"

Miranda cocked an eyebrow. "It seems the shielding program Young used leaked into other systems and prevented EDI from recognizing system malfunctions. A highly useful program, but not too stable apparently."

"Apparently," Shepard snorted and headed out the door. "Get some sleep, Miranda. You're no good to me exhausted."

"Certainly, Commander."

O o O o O o O

The pounding in her head from earlier had lessened, and Shepard found the soft lights of her cabin more soothing than those in the CIC. She stared at the empty aquarium in contemplation, hypnotized by the sway of the seaweed and wondering if she should buy some more fish. Recent studies had shown that pets eased stress, although she suspected that the studies didn't include soldiers in their experimental group.

The light from her terminal flickered gently, waiting for a command prompt to open the OSD. Shepard had finally put aside her procrastination and was ready to examine Alenko's information, but she was still unsure if she would be satisfied with what she found. According to Cerberus and Liara, Alenko's information was highly classified, and curiosity finally got the better of her. The commander pressed the terminal button and watched as his information exploded onscreen.

_Intercept 27: 15/Secure Comm Buoy #217/Encrypted/#8779-0  
Sender: Admiral Steven Hackett, Fifth Fleet  
Subject: Cerberus facility 171_

_Lt. Alenko:_

_New orders per protocol 87b state that you will receive additional support on your mission. Cpl Byron Young will arrive on [RECORD DELETED] in docking bay 14 at 1600 hours. Your mission will include the following objectives:_

_Infiltrate Cerberus facility 171 on asteroid [RECORD DELETED] and secure intelligence on Alliance personnel. Collateral damage acceptable. All other objectives are secondary. Shuttle [DATA DELETED] will rendezvous within 3 hours after drop-off._

_Hackett _

Shepard cocked an eyebrow, questioning Hackett's motivations, and continued to scroll down further.

_Intercept 408: 34/Secure Comm Buoy #217/Encrypted/#908-76  
Sender: LCDR Kaidan Alenko  
Subject: Cerberus Research Station 089_

_Arcturus Naval Intelligence, Major Antella:_

_Intelligence from Cerberus facility 171 contains information on the research station designated Cerberus 089. Warning: Research station overrun by husks. Contains accumulated geth technologies. Questionable AI research halted due to death of science team. Hostiles eliminated. Objective achieved._

_[End Transmission]_

The commander chewed her lip in thought. According to her information, Project Overlord had been the result of a combination of years worth of research and one unlucky little brother. Was there a connection here? Shepard made a mental note to discuss the possibility with Liara during their next chat, and continued reviewing the information.

_Intercept 8: 1/Secure Comm Buoy #4305-7/Encrypted/#9  
Sender: Admiral Steven Hackett, Fifth Fleet  
Subject: Illegal Research_

_LCDR Alenko:_

_Shore leave cancelled. Proceed immediately to docking bay 117 for departure aboard [RECORD DELETED]. Research station on orbital platform [DATA DELETED] known to contain illegal weapons tech and AI research. Search and destroy mission. Acquire main system hard drive, eliminate evidence of assault._

_Hackett _

It seemed that the Alliance had done some housecleaning in her absence. Shepard skimmed the data, scanning for anything detailing Cerberus involvement. She knew that their run-ins with Cerberus three years ago had done nothing to improve Alenko's opinion of the organization, and this new data confirmed her suspicions. His reaction to her on Horizon was beginning to make more sense.

_From: Captain Farrah Gapoli, Arcturus Station  
To: LCDR Kaidan Alenko  
Subject: Promoted_

_It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been promoted to the rank of Staff Commander effective immediately. Congratulations. Please report to Command for posting ASAP._

_Captain Farrah Gapoli  
Assistant in Charge of Operations  
Arcturus Station_

Shepard snorted. She had received a similar promotion after her N7 assignment and her shore leave had been cancelled to boot. The military had need of her skills, just as it seemed they had need of Alenko's. She continued the data feed, clicking on the last intercepted message.

_Intercept 056: 13/Secure Comm Buoy #13-9/Encrypted/#1-908-8  
Sender: SCDR Kaidan Alenko  
Subject: Cerberus Research Station 05-Alpha_

_Arcturus Naval Intelligence, Major Antella:_

_Cerberus facility 05-Alpha secured. Hostiles eliminated. Encrypted intelligence downloaded. Mention of secondary base identified as Lazarus. System core set to overload. Objective achieved._

_[End Transmission]_


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Bioware owns almost everything.

A/N: And now for some Thane and Garrus.

Chapter 14

"Shepard. I had thought you would wait longer before visiting me again."

Thane's throaty baritone drifted through the air and tickled her senses. She had never quite gotten used to the purr of his voice, subtle and relaxing as he was deadly. She brushed past Dr. Chakwas who was studying medical literature with intense interest, and went to stand at Thane's side. He was working to sit upright and face her, but Shepard waved off the effort, wanting him to be comfortable.

"I thought I would check up on our resident assassin since the doctor hasn't cleared you for duty yet."

He relaxed once more, eyes on the ceiling. "I apologize for my absence. I have no desire to impede the overall performance of the crew."

Shepard quirked an eyebrow. "Thane, you're in the med bay. You're not an impediment."

The drell let out a long breath and steepled his fingers. "I am of no use to you here."

The commander had nothing to say to that. Cheerleading and positive inspirational speeches were not her forte. She tended to leave that to more chipper members of the crew. Instead, she changed the subject, hoping to will away the growing discomfort between them.

"So what do you think of our new mission?"

He lowered his eyelids in thought, membranes nictitating as he contemplated an answer. "It is a noble goal that you work toward, but I believe you have a long way to go before it can be accomplished."

Shepard repressed a snort of agreement, instead hiccup-coughing awkwardly. "I thought the same as well. We don't know nearly enough about the Reapers and I worry that the council will continue to deny their existence without proof."

"Convince them."

She chuckled and shook her head ruefully. "Damned if I know how, Thane. They still think I'm with Cerberus."

"You are not."

Shepard frowned. Thane's simple responses were starting to become irksome. "No, I'm not. Try telling them that."

"They will not listen to me, but they will to you, Shepard. Bring them the proof they require."

"Right," Shepard snorted, frustration getting the better of her. "I'm on it."

"Of course you are."

"Look, Thane, if this is a bad time I can always come back."

He opened dark eyes and turned his piercing gaze on her, brow plates lifting in a questioning manner. "Have I said something to upset you?"

Shepard turned her head away, mentally berating herself for her short temper. She leaned back against the examination table and met his gaze. "I'm sorry. I've just been on edge lately. You've done nothing to upset me."

"I've learned that it can be most upsetting to hear the truth." His stoic mien returned and he once more turned toward the ceiling. "Some things are best left unsaid."

The damned drell could be awfully cryptic sometimes and she was in no mood for deep thought. Shepard tried the same tactic again and changed the topic.

"So how are things between you and Kolyat? Bailey sends me regular reports – says the kid has some balls." Shepard caught herself at the last, unsure about the specifics of drell physiology. Thane seemed to smile ever so slightly at the hitch in her voice.

"A crude, but apt human expression."

"Yeah," Shepard rubbed the back of her neck. "We got a lot of those."

Again the slight smile creased the corners of his mouth. "Kolyat is well. We have exchanged several communications. He appears to enjoy working for Captain Bailey, although I don't believe he would ever admit it."

"Is that something he gets from you?"

Thane shot her a pointed look. "No."

She was really going to have to refrain from asking asinine questions. There was only room for one foot in her mouth, and she had no intention of compromising her command any more than she already had. The memory of Tuchanka flooded her mind, and Shepard pushed it aside, focusing once more on the conversation at hand.

"I assume you've made arrangements to see him when we reach the Citadel?"

"Yes. He has expressed an interest in a specific restaurant on Zakera ward, near C-sec."

Shepard nodded, thinking. She remembered quite a few different restaurants in the area, although her knowledge of drell dining customs was nonexistent. "That sounds like a good start."

"I agree. We have much to discuss, he and I."

Shepard paused in thought as the conversation lulled and considered the individual in front of her. As strong and steadfast as Thane was, the fact that his body was now in the grip of a wasting illness was bitter irony indeed. She studied his frame, long and lean, seemingly relaxed in calm contemplation. He held a fascination for her that was difficult to ignore, a penitent killer who justified his occupation through necessity. In another life, perhaps…

Shepard shook the thought away as she noticed Thane studying her, dark eyes barely visible through lowered lids. "You had other thoughts, Shepard?"

Wrenching her mind back to reality she refocused her attention and gathered her wits. "I was curious to hear your opinions on the new crew."

He blinked as if surprised at the question, but otherwise gave no indication. "From what I have seen, the Alliance crew has adapted to our unique style of operation, although Commander Alenko appears to be lost."

Shepard started at his name, but quickly collected herself. "Do explain."

Again the small smile crept to the corners of his mouth. _Or was she imagining it?_

"Before my stay in medical, I noticed that the commander kept to himself and interacted with very few crew. He ate alone, often focused on studying the latest reports," he paused and met her gaze, "much like you. I am unfamiliar with human customs, but your species, like drell, tend to be a social people."

"In some cases that is true, but not all."

Thane turned his gaze back to the ceiling and closed his eyes once more, folding long fingers over his abdomen. "He is a man who has seen much death, but I suspect that is not what haunts him."

"What is it, do you think?"

Thane turned his eyes once more toward Shepard, dark yet serene and rimmed in emerald. "The same thing that haunts all men."

Shepard pursed her lips, suddenly discomfited by the turn in conversation. She did not mind speaking about Alenko and Thane's input regarding the crew was informative. He had a unique perspective and insight that could not be duplicated. However, the subtle cues peppered throughout their conversation contained a vexing quality. Shepard was unsure of her emotions in this regard, and when Shepard was unsure, she grew angry. Thane seemed to sense her disquiet and spoke again, softly and sure.

"I have decided to add my name to the donor list."

The statement struck Shepard by surprise. Last she knew he was not in favor of the transplant procedure, but obviously something had changed. Once more she was reminded that she was not the only one affected by their survival through the O4 relay.

"When did you decide this?"

Thane shifted slightly on the table, once more steepling his fingers. "During my last communication with Kolyat he spoke of time. I realized I am now able to answer his request, to provide us with more time. It was something I was not able to do before."

"What do I need to do?" He voice was soft, but she maintained her position against the other table, her emotions already muddled.

"My stay at the center will take time, but Dr. Chakwas has done all that I require. I will simply need for you to say good-bye."

His words struck her harder than she would've imagined, but she maintained her impassive demeanor. Emotional outbursts would benefit nobody, least of all Thane. Although she would miss their talks, she understood his desire to reconnect with his son.

"Very well. I will have Chakwas notify you when we're on approach to the Citadel."

"Thank you, Shepard." He paused, looking as if he wanted to say more, but closed his mouth and once again contemplated his thoughts.

Shepard brushed a stray hair back as she exited the med bay, barely acknowledging Dr. Chakwas' presence. She had no wish to disturb her reading further, and headed toward the elevator. EDI's voice cut through the silence as it sounded through the speaker.

"Commander, Garrus has requested that you visit him in the forward battery at your earliest convenience."

"I'm on my way." _So much for personal time_.

O o O o O o O

She took up her usual spot on the nearby crate, leaning forward intently as Garrus paced back and forth across the room. While she had been remiss in her interactions with him, she didn't worry. Despite his occasional clarifications regarding tactical appraisal and mission objectives, he was extraordinarily self sufficient. Additionally, lower deck scuttlebutt suggested that he had been spending an inordinate amount of time with Serviceman Goering. Although it was none of her business, she couldn't help but find some small satisfaction that her friend found comfort with something other than his guns.

Garrus ceased pacing and fixed her with a curious glance. "Shepard, you're smiling. You scare me when you smile. What's up?"

She waved his comment away, doing her best to subdue her amusement. "Don't worry about it, Garrus. I'm just thinking, that's all."

"That's what scares me." He held her gaze a moment longer, and then resumed pacing. "I received word from my father today."

Shepard cocked a curious eyebrow but said nothing.

"I got to hear all about how C-sec has changed, it's 'overrun' by humans, and nobody follows the rules anymore – especially me."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Garrus. Your father sounds like a hard man."

He waved off her comment as if he were shooing away a bug. "He's a good turian."

The image of their impromptu reunion suddenly engulfed her memory: Garrus, helmeted and sighting down his sniper scope, just waiting for that stupid freelancer to stick his head in the crosshairs. He hadn't been surprised to see her, more like relieved, but acted with an almost cocky surety that had developed in the intervening years. Garrus was no longer the young turian living in his father's shadow, but family could be influential even so.

"You're not your father, Garrus."

"Yeah, and he makes sure to tell me that every time we speak."

Shepard sighed irritably, flicking a piece of lint from her shirt. "Look, Garrus. I'm not here to be your shrink. You want to bitch about family, go see Kelly. Why'd you call me here?"

Garrus chuckled ruefully. "Point taken, Shepard." He activated his omni-tool, punching in a convoluted combination and sent the data to her 'tool. The commander glanced down as it pinged.

"What's this?"

"This is all the data that I was able to collect while working at C-sec; names, ranks, busts up 'til the time I left. This –" her omni-tool pinged again as Garrus sent her more information. "This is C-sec as it's organized now. Note the increase in station security officers, guard posts, and patrol routes."

She did as he asked, examining the updated data. "They expect another attack."

"That's possible, Shepard." He nodded and resumed his pacing. "It could also be that they have more recruits now, you know, since humanity is making their great stride forward."

Shepard smirked and ignored his loaded comment. Garrus wasn't one to care who was doing a job, so long as the job got done.

"Your father sent you this?"

"Yeah, he still has some contacts on the inside – likes to let me know how far they've gone downhill since his day." He started as his omni-tool chimed. "Hold on, Shepard. My call to C-sec is finally going through."

Shepard turned her attention to her omni-tool, studying the data with curiosity. Garrus busied himself at his terminal, adjusting the settings and verifying the security of the channel. His mandibles flared perceptibly, a sign of the nervousness beneath his calm appearance. Shepard watched him out of the corner of her eye, not wanting to put him under any more pressure.

Another turian face appeared on the monitor, fuzzy and slightly distorted. "This is Executor Chellick."

"Executor? Garrus Vakarian."

"Oh. It's you." The flat tone of the turian's voice was noticeable even to Shepard. "What do you want now, Vakarian?"

"A pleasure as always, Executor." Garrus hid any sign of irritation admirably and continued the call. "I understand that C-sec has been investigating the theft of geth technology, possibly of Reaper make and origin. I'd like to assist any way I can."

Shepard inwardly perked up at this, but maintained the appearance of studying her omni-tool. She heard Chellick make some sort of clucking sound as he formed a denial.

"I know of no such investigation. Where are you getting your information?"

His mandibles twitched lightly in the turian equivalent of a shrug. "I hear things. Channels aren't always secure, Executor." Shepard smiled slyly at the coolness of his voice.

"I'm afraid, Vakarian, that you no longer have the clearance within C-sec to participate in any investigation, much less one created by the delusions of drunks and hooligans. And what would you want with C-sec anyway? I remember you left in quite the hurry last time you were here."

"So that's a 'no,' Executor?"

More odd clucking sounds escaped Chellick's mouth. "Was there some other reason you contacted me, Vakarian? Or do you just enjoy speculation." He turned his head past the viewing screen. "I've wasted enough time with you."

The screen went black as Chellick terminated the connection. Garrus turned to face Shepard, a wry look in his eyes.

"What was that all about?" Shepard snapped off her omni-tool, the façade now pointless, and met his gaze.

"I like to bug Chellick from time to time. There's something going on in the intelligence division that's very well classified. My contact wasn't able to decipher the encrypted codes completely. I only received partial information."

"Reaper tech?"

Garrus cocked his head to the side. "I doubt it. That was just wild speculation on my part to see if I could get a reaction out of Chellick. I think it might have something to do with this." He activated his 'tool once again, sending more information Shepard's way. She ignored the notification chime, still focused intently on her turian crewmember.

"And what else?"

He punched in another sequence of numbers. "Bailey was kind enough to send me the latest reports on Council activity. This is a transcript of their last meeting."

Shepard nodded satisfactorily. "And the other?"

"I suspect that's what the intelligence division is working on. Something related to an alien ship recovered on Gamayun's moon Gigula."

Shepard frowned in thought as she skimmed the data feed. "It says something about a race that evolved horizontally, not vertically. How is that…?" The words trailed off as she considered the many possible implications.

Garrus smiled in the human fashion, pointed teeth bared. "Yes, Commander?"

She stood up quickly, her mind working furiously as she processed this new information. "Keep me informed Garrus. I want to know the minute you have updated information on this."

"Certainly, Shepard. You think there might be something here?"

She bit her lower lip and frowned. "I'm not sure."


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all. I just play with their toys.

A/N: For Sesh, here's one of the chapters you've been waiting for. Thanks to my beta, drakontion - stop fanning yourself. To the readers: this chapter is rated M for implied sexual content.

Chapter 15

_It began as a stroke of her face, feather light and enchanting. Shepard felt the curves of her body mold to the bed, soft, comforting, tangled in a web of sheets. She stretched languidly, letting her body relax, and enjoying the simplicity of the golden light that played off her bare skin. She hadn't realized she was naked, and reveled unabashedly in the freedom of it._

_She felt the touch of firm hands graze her cheek, tentative, softly brushing a lock of stray hair away from her face. Shepard lifted her gaze and met eyes of dark midnight, deep and inviting as the touch of his fingers. The golden light glinted off his supple skin, body firm and snug beside her. He smiled warmly, and she was reminded of honey and summer breezes. _

_Shepard trembled with delicious warmth as golden fingers traced a path across her naked body. Gossamer touches as delicate as down trickled down her spine. Formless golden hues caressed her hips, smooth as silk and intoxicating. Her senses tingled and she released control, for once giving into the pleasure she had so long been denied. _

_Dark eyes danced before her, twinkling with mirth and desire. There was no pressure, no expectations, no thought other than to give herself over to him. Emboldened by this realization, she pressed her body against his, firm musculature hot beside her. The scent of earth and cinnamon wafted through the air, caressing her form as gently as he had._

_Heat surged in her veins like golden bands of velvet, intertwining within her limbs and exploding outward. She longed to fall into those eyes, to swim amidst their depths, and be devoured by the scent of him. Firm hands traced formless patterns across delectable skin, resplendent in the light between them. She melted into his touch, yielding to his desires, and yearned to taste him._

_The light shifted, deepening as his form moved above her. Dark eyes twinkled, glittering like a thousand stars amidst the void. Shepard felt her body move beneath him, wanton, ready, burning for his warmth as she never had before. She reached out to him, smooth skin scorching under her touch. She felt no pain, no discomfort, only the ache of desire within her. _

_She curled her fingers around dark hair, a pleasant sigh escaping appetizing lips, and pulled him to her. He tasted like rapture and chaos, fury and lust, and she drew his body into hers. Shepard cried out, filled with the whole of him. No sound escaped her lips. No thought tormented her mind. Nothing mattered in that moment but the feel of his heat within her, satisfying a hunger that no other could._

"Commander?"

The warmth of the dream left her and was suddenly replaced by the chill of the mess hall. Hanson was leaning over the table, curiously studying Shepard, a questioning look upon his face. She frowned, the feel of a data pad under her head, and it clattered loudly to the floor as she sat up.

"Commander, are you okay?" Hanson's voice was tentative, light, exactly what she didn't want to hear right now.

She brushed him off impatiently. "I'm fine, Corporal. I just fell asleep reviewing some reports." The commander stifled a yawn as best she could, and tried to shake off the remnants of sleep.

He nodded, setting down his tray. "You should go to bed, Commander."

She bit her tongue on a retort, doing her best to ignore the pent up frustration generated by the dream. It had been so realistic and so warm that she now felt bereft of a touch she thought long forgotten.

"That's where I'm headed, Corporal. Enjoy your dinner."

She stood, chair legs scraping against the metal floor, and grabbed her data pad as she headed toward the elevator. Shepard wiped the fatigue from her eyes roughly, irritated with herself for falling asleep in such a public area and dreaming of such personal moments. She did not like being reminded of what she could not have, even though her body was determined to betray her.

The commander turned the corner and pushed the call button, footsteps padding softly behind her. She turned, only to be struck with an image she was sure to have more dreams about. Alenko was crossing the hall to his private quarters clad in nothing but a towel. Bronze skin glistened beneath a smattering of water droplets, the damp still clinging to his dark hair.

Shepard's blood surged with barely subdued hunger, overwhelming in its intensity, and manifesting as an inarticulate choke. She coughed quickly, averting her eyes and doing her best to conceal her craving, and Alenko paused at the sound. He turned, body still wet, and shot her a curious look.

"Commander?"

Shepard kept her eyes on the elevator door, mentally berating it with language that would impress even her former DI. Damn thing was taking far too long to open.

"Is there something you need, Alenko?" She heard him shift behind her, wondering why he didn't come prepared with clothes after his shower.

"I'm sorry, Commander. What was that? I can't hear you when you're turned away."

_Damn him._

Shepard turned around once more and faced him, glorious half-naked body and all. She did her best to avoid staring at the sheen on his chest, the tiny water droplets reflecting off the lights above as he inhaled deeply. She chose to ignore the way his hair was mussed from the shower, water still dripping down his neck. She paid no mind to the mold of his body, the sculpted lines of his muscles disappearing beneath the towel. Instead she focused on his eyes, the deep pools of midnight from her dream, sparkling with mirth and desire.

_Damn him_.

He shot her a questioning look as Shepard stood dumbfounded in the hallway. How she had lost her cool was quite the mystery, although now was not the time to search for clues. She was in the wrong state of mind to consider anything amidst her body's revolt.

"Are you waiting for the elevator, Commander?"

Shepard mumbled an unintelligible response. She had not heard the console's signal, or the elevator door open. Her attention had been on everything that she was supposed to be immune to. Reality came crashing back and Shepard turned on her heel, hastily retreating, and ignoring her awkward exit. She punched the button repeatedly, exercising her frustrations on the poor, inanimate object. Shepard glanced once more at him as the elevator door whined closed. She saw the corners of his mouth curl into small smile as Alenko disappeared from view.

_Damn him_.

O o O o O o O

The docking bay smelled the same; that hadn't changed, but it wasn't what surprised Shepard. She surveyed the room, taking note of the many workers busy in their daily tasks, a web of hoses criss-crossing throughout. The dockworkers consisted of mainly humans and turians, working side by side with an ease that would impress even Gunny. _Slicker 'an snot_, he would say. Her old sarge always did have a way with words.

Thane stood next to her as they waited for the elevator, Miranda and Alenko at the rear. Shepard had done her best to avoid him until they arrived, but had been obligated to bring him with her to the Citadel. It wouldn't do to meet with Alliance officials without their liaison present.

The group piled inside the cramped lift, made even smaller by the amount of armor and weaponry they were carrying. Shepard shifted irritably while Thane retained his usual calm and Miranda and Alenko engaged in stilted conversation. The tension was almost palpable, and the commander was reminded again how much she despised elevators.

The ride was shorter than she had expected and Shepard randomly wondered if maintenance had upgraded the anti-grav wells. The campy music had not changed, however, and still contained occasional newsworthy interruptions. A wave of relief swept over her as she did not hear a single mention of the O4 relay or her name.

The lift deposited them on an upper level of Zakera ward, brightly lit and crowded with a medley of races. Shepard stepped out gladly, once more in the familiar environment of the wards, and scanned the crowds. She relaxed slightly when she saw no one familiar. Familiarity usually entailed random conversations she rarely had time for.

Thane stepped out beside her, his dark eyes scanning the area as she had. He nodded to her subtly as Miranda and Alenko joined them, and the group made their way past customs and into the C-sec office. Captain Bailey was gone, promoted according to her most recent information, and a stranger sat in his seat. Shepard ignored the inconvenience of acquainting herself with Bailey's replacement and brushed straight past the stubby human for the time being. She had other things on her agenda at present, and shifted her attention to Thane.

He was waiting just outside the office entrance, form poised and ready. He stood in his usual pose, back ram-rod straight and hands clasped behind him. The drell was a study in dichotomy, both beautiful and deadly to behold. She was going to miss him more than she had ever suspected.

"Are you sure about this, Thane?" Shepard sidled up next to him, following his gaze into the greenery ahead.

He inclined his head, bowing slightly as he did so. "I am sure, Shepard."

"Alright then, we'll wait with you."

"That is not necessary, Shepard."

"I know. We'll wait with you, Thane." Shepard met his gaze, dark emerald irises barely noticeable in the lighting. She waited for him to refuse her offer once more, but he simply nodded again and resumed his vigil.

Alenko had wandered over to Avina, questioning the VI while Miranda leaned her arms on the railing and admired the gardens. The flowers were in full bloom, a veritable potpourri of color and scent amongst the standard Citadel décor. The effect was surprisingly calming, and Shepard felt more at ease while waiting with Thane for his son's arrival. It seemed that Kolyat was running late.

Thane had spoken of him quite often to her, almost every time they had talked, in fact. While she understood his apprehension, she had difficulty understanding his need for atonement. Atonement usually implied regret, and regret indicated a history of mistakes. Shepard was not fond of reliving mistakes or regrets, although circumstance seemed to dictate otherwise.

She glanced over at Alenko, still visiting animatedly with the VI, and pondered her continued attraction to him. Shepard cocked an eyebrow in thought, mentally ticking off his talents in her head. He was a prime male specimen, of that there was no doubt, but his body was no different than most active duty marines. His biotics held little fascination for her, although his talents had been useful on the battlefield. Alenko was a better tech than she was, a fact that she still found irksome, and he could make a mean cup of coffee in a pinch. Such qualities were attractive in any marine, but Shepard pushed away the memories of his more personal attributes. She was in no position to follow that line of thought to its conclusion.

Shepard glanced at her omni-tool as it pinged. The time for her meeting was approaching. She glanced over at Thane who continued to wait patiently, and he turned her way, a knowing look in his eyes.

"You must leave, Shepard. I understand."

She disliked having to leave him here like this, alone, waiting for the arrival of his estranged son. The commander searched his eyes which, although alien, spoke volumes to her. She didn't need to explain herself to him. They both understood the necessity of her role. Duty called and Kolyat was not a mission priority.

"Good-bye, Thane." Her voice was soft, yet still carried the weight of her command.

He took her hands in his, catching Shepard by surprise, and pressed his brow plates to her fingers. She remained still, unsure of his intentions, and grew more uncomfortable by the moment. The commander felt the heat of Alenko's gaze burning a hole through her armor, and stiffened inadvertently.

Thane released her hands and stepped back, a hint of what looked like humor in his gaze. "It is a custom among my people when bidding farewell to companions."

"I understand." Shepard nodded, understanding that her life had just become much more complex.

The commander turned on her heel and strode away, Miranda and Alenko falling in line behind her. Thane made no move to follow, instead returning his gaze to the gardens before him, and continued to wait patiently.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Thanks to my beta for keeping me on track and reviewing everything I throw at her. To the readers, I apologize. This will be the last update for some time as I am moving across the country and don't know when I'll have internet again. Hopefully, I can update in a week, but I won't forget about this story or everyone following along. The next chapter will be up as soon as I can manage it. Until then, enjoy some more Shenko!

Chapter 16

The route through the Presidium had not changed, although more humans lined the walkways and gathered in small groups, chattering incessantly about inconsequential matters. Shepard had had her fill of politicians, and while she appreciated Anderson's support, he hardly held enough influence to enact the kind of changes he wanted made. She didn't regret nominating him for the council, but was more surprised that her voice actually held weight. The commander hoped that was still the case.

The door to Anderson's office slid open smoothly, barely making a sound as she entered. He was seated at his terminal, extinguishing the light of the monitor as she entered. He looked almost exactly the same as when she had last seen him, broad shoulders and barrel-chested with only a few extra wrinkles around his eyes. Her former captain stood to greet her, extending his hand warmly.

"Commander Shepard, I'm glad to see you've made it."

"I didn't have much of a choice, Councilor." She shot him a half-smile, eyes dancing with amusement. "That was made pretty clear to me."

Anderson released her grip and gestured to the chairs at the conference table. "Sit. Please."

Shepard obliged, planting herself in a chair at the far corner of the table with a view of the room. Miranda and Alenko followed suit, the air growing cooler with unease.

"Commander Alenko," Anderson greeted him and seated himself at the head of the table. "I've received your reports. It seems the mission progresses well."

"It does, Councilor," Alenko nodded, his eyes flicking to the Commander. She had known about his daily logs and reports. Anderson's statement came as no surprise.

The door slid open with a hiss of breath and Udina strode in with his usual air of energetic disdain. "Progresses well, Anderson? They've done nothing but lollygag around the galaxy chasing pirates."

Shepard cocked an eyebrow. "Lollygagging is hard work, Udina. I would think you'd know that by now."

Udina shot her a withering glare as he sat down roughly. "Commander Shepard, always a pleasure," he spat.

Anderson made a placating gesture, frowning at Udina and Shepard as a father would to spoiled children. "Enough. We don't have time to air out your personal differences. We're here today, Shepard, to assess the progress of your mission and disseminate your information. Admiral Hackett will be joining us shortly."

Shepard frowned at Udina who had his face twisted into an uncomfortable looking scowl, but said nothing. Alenko remained quiet, silently observing their interaction. Udina's antics were nothing new to him, having been introduced to the Ambassador's egocentric methods years ago. Miranda watched the exchange with clinical fascination, as if she'd like to pluck Udina apart and discover what exotic force motivated him.

The terminal light flared and Anderson manipulated the controls, funneling Hackett's voice through the sound systems. He shot Shepard a warning glance, and proceeded to open the meeting.

"Anderson here. Are you reading us, Admiral?"

"Loud and clear, Councilor." Hackett's disembodied voice pumped forcefully through the overhead and Anderson adjusted the controls, decreasing the volume.

"Admiral, I have Ambassador Udina with me, as well as Commander Shepard and her team: Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko and her XO Miranda Lawson."

"Thank you, Councilor. Shepard, I received the report from both you and Commander Alenko on Logasiri. Good work, you two."

"Thank you, sir," Shepard nodded while Udina suppressed a snort.

"Our analysts have already decrypted part of the information, which has led to several arrests and seizures. That data has proven very useful so far."

Anderson met her eyes. "How go your other mission objectives, Commander?"

"We've already made contact with the STG and Asari Republics, although I'm not so sure how much influence we hold with the latter." Shepard passed an OSD to Anderson, ignoring the look on Udina's face. "This contains additional data received from my contacts' reports. It's not much yet, but I believe it will pan out in time."

"Pan out it time?" Impossibly, Udina's face twisted into a darker scowl. "We don't have time for guessing games, Commander."

Shepard preferred to withhold additional information in front of Udina. It wasn't because she detested the man, but because he required solid evidence, and she had none at the moment. It was rarely worth aggravating him unless she got a chance to shoot him too; anything to shut the pompous ass up.

"Thank you, Commander." Anderson toyed with the OSD briefly before setting it back down.

Udina directed his scowl at the OSD. "That's all?"

"You already have the data we gathered on the Collector's ship and base. You'd think that would shut you up for a while." Udina sputtered, but Shepard's impatience got the better of her and she plowed ahead. "I'm not in the business of making you look good, Ambassador. I don't have enough time for that. My priorities are the success of the mission, and I'll be damned if I have to put up with any more of your bureaucratic bullshit. Now, do shut up and let the grown-ups work."

Udina glared angrily at Anderson while Alenko attempted to maintain his composure, and Miranda continued her observation.

"Commander Shepard," Anderson's voice was soft yet firm, drawing on years' worth of command. "Try to remember that we are all here to help you succeed in your mission."

She snorted, still fuming, and gestured to Miranda. "We have additional information for you, recently uncovered by one of Alenko's staff."

Miranda leaned forward, adjusting her position and handed another OSD to Anderson. "Lt. Young downloaded this data from our ship's storage banks. It contains information on Cerberus personnel who have infiltrated key positions in Alliance command."

There was a long pause in the room, silence descending on the group like a thick winter blanket. Miranda sat back in her seat and watched the others' faces as they absorbed the knowledge.

"What do you expect us to do with this information, Commander?" Hackett's voice cut through the quiet like a hot knife, jerking Anderson's attention away from the OSD in his hands.

Shepard cocked her head to the side. "Do with it what you want. I gave it to you as a courtesy, although it was one of _your_ crew who violated the integrity of my ship. Did you think I wouldn't know Young was trained in espionage?"

Another long silence followed, punctuated only by Alenko's shifting form. He had emphatically denied any involvement in Young's activities when Shepard confronted him, growing upset with her continued accusations. Alenko had briefly recounted his activities with Young, but hadn't worked with him any time in the past year prior to their assignment on the SR2. He had been just as surprised as Shepard was by Young's security breach.

"We would never allow such a thing, Shepard." Anderson's voice was firm, almost angry as if he was trying to convince himself of the truth of his statement.

Shepard cocked an eyebrow. Her frustration had not abated. "You say you are here to help me do my job, but then you assign spies to my crew. Tell me, how is that useful to the mission?"

"Lt. Young acted of his own accord. He was not authorized by me to compromise the mission in any way." Hackett's voice sounded tinny, no longer familiar.

Shepard opened her mouth to speak, but Anderson forestalled her, changing the subject. "Commander, do you have any additional information to provide us? Perhaps on the Reapers?"

She saw Udina cringe slightly at the mention of the Reapers, the familiar sneer on his face. "Nothing in addition to what we've already sent you."

The councilor nodded succinctly. "Very well then. Don't forget you have a meeting with the Council this afternoon." He surveyed the individuals at the table and continued when no one spoke. "Does anyone else have anything to add? No? Then we'll adjourn for now. Shepard, I expect you'll continue to keep the Admiral informed of your progress."

She nodded hesitantly, curious as to the hitch in his voice. Since her recruitment into the Corsair program, Shepard had sent reports to Anderson as well as Hackett. She shot him a questioning glance.

The room filled with the sounds of shuffling and metallic reverberations as the chairs were pushed back. Udina stalked out of the office, angrily grumbling about a lack of respect, while Miranda continued to observe him. Alenko moved toward the door and waited. Shepard held up a hand, signaling for both to wait outside.

"Anderson," she crossed the room to his side. "What are you not telling me?"

He leaned on the half-wall and gazed out amongst the gardens and greenery lining the Presidium grounds. Anderson let out a sigh that bespoke his exasperation and to Shepard he suddenly appeared many years older.

"I should've known better than to try to keep a secret from you." Shepard looked at him expectantly and he turned to face her. "I'm resigning my position."

"What?"

He held up a hand to forestall her protest. "Wait, let me finish. I'm a soldier, Shepard, not a politician. I don't have the patience for this sort of thing like Udina does." He jostled the OSD in his hand. "With this information I can finally put a dent in Cerberus' plans."

"Anderson, you know I can help."

He shook his head slowly. "No. This is something I need to do. I've already got a few things in the works here, but I just wanted you to be aware that you're walking into a political shit storm."

Shepard took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Aren't I always?"

He smiled wryly at his former protégé. "It seems to be your calling card, Shepard."

"You need anything, Captain, anything at all, you let me know."

He nodded slowly as he gazed back over the gardens. "Thank you, Commander."

O o O o O o O

Alenko picked at his meal, pushing the food around his plate as Shepard watched him. He frowned, still oozing anger from the meeting and appeared to be punishing his appetite accordingly. It was interesting to witness the change in his normally controlled demeanor, and Shepard idly wondered what else she had missed in the intervening years.

She sat across from him, turning a glass of water in her hands. She had no intention of drinking anything alcoholic before her meeting with the Council, especially given her last adventure in inebriation. Shepard watched as Alenko continued to play with his food, at last speaking up about his mood.

He glanced up at her, eyes partially focused in the dim light, and then resumed his musings. While she did not begrudge him his thoughts, his pensive mood was souring her own.

"Aren't biotics supposed to have extraordinary metabolisms? Aren't you going to eat?"

He paused, and then suddenly released his grip on the fork, leaving it to clatter loudly against his plate. Alenko sat back roughly and met her gaze through the smoky atmosphere of the Dark Star. His deep eyes contained a hint of annoyance and his body retained its earlier formal stiffness.

"I'm not hungry." The words fell flat between them and Shepard cringed inwardly.

"Oh." She sounded inane to her own ears and wished she had kept her mouth shut. Talking with Alenko seemed to bring nothing but trouble, or frustration.

He shrugged off her comment, his growing irritation obvious. Shepard did her best to ignore his stare, focusing instead on a group of turians that were dancing horribly off beat. The heat from his gaze continued unabated, but Shepard maintained her cool. She was going to make him broach whatever topic was distressing him.

"You don't think the Council's going to listen."

Shepard turned at the tone of his voice, a simmering anger almost ready to boil over. She had not seen him this worked up since their last meeting with the Council years ago. Alenko's dark eyes met hers, sparkling with unabashed anger. His face darkened, almost melting into the shadows of their corner booth.

"No, I don't."

"So why are we wasting our time with them?"

Shepard contemplated this alternate side to Alenko, the angry, brooding darkness that he rarely displayed. Normally he was too controlled to ever show any emotion, but time had changed him, or perhaps it had been something else. His darker side had merit, it was…intriguing.

"I didn't save their asses just so they could sit on them for me. The Council still has its uses."

He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table and considered her thoughtfully. "Just like old times again, Shepard?"

She turned her attention once more to the group of turians, now joined by an asari. Shepard could feel his gaze still upon her, waiting for a response to his question. She ignored his informality and the feeling of longing that welled up inside.

"No," she said bluntly. "Not like old times at all."

A hint of pain crossed his face, but was quickly replaced with a mask of neutrality. His voice was soft and held a trace of the smoky timbre she knew so well. "Are things really that different?"

Shepard turned back to him, her mind working to process his question. In their hunt for Saren they had gathered contacts, gathered intelligence, and ran errands for Admiral Hackett. In that respect, their current mission was very much the same as before. The difference, however, was the threat that now loomed before them was larger than anything their galactic community had ever faced. She was going to have to find a way to get the Council to work with her in order to organize an intra-galactic defense. The Reapers were coming, and even with all the specialists she could muster, it wouldn't be enough to defeat them without the combined support of the council races.

Shepard hated relying on others and glanced back up at Alenko, his frustrated countenance sending a jolt through her body. She mentally berated herself for bringing him into this mess.

"Yes, Alenko. Things are different." Her voice was firm, confident, but she wasn't sure who exactly she was trying to convince.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Warning, this chapter contains spoilers for ME2. Thanks to my beta, drakontion, and to everyone following along. Have a Council meeting.

Chapter 17

The Council Chambers had changed little in the past three years. Shepard was not surprised that it remained almost identical to what it had been prior to Sovereign's destruction, and suspected the keepers were the cause. According to an offhand comment by Anderson, the keepers continued maintenance of the tower, even during its reconstruction; often touching up repairs that crews had already completed. She smiled thoughtfully at the efficiency of the keepers and the genius of their use.

Shepard stood with her ground team at the foot of the stairs, waiting for the ambassador to arrive so they could begin the meeting. As much as she disliked being in his presence, it was inadvisable to meet with the Council without Udina present. She waited with her hands clasped behind her, observing the comings and goings of various diplomats and civil servants. The chambers still exuded a sense of peace, marred only by the memory of its near destruction just a few short years ago.

Cherry trees still decorated the interior, the pink blossoms drifting lazily to the ground. Fountains spewed forth streams of silver, cascading in and around the gardens, the hypnotizing gurgle cloaking the depths of intrigue that occurred in their midst. Shepard believed it was an appropriate place to conduct governmental business, seemingly peaceful with antagonistic undercurrents, much like politics.

She glanced over at Miranda, examining her still form and calm demeanor. She had returned from her errands earlier, meeting up with Shepard and Alenko outside the Dark Star. Apparently, things had gone well, otherwise she would be exuding a different form of controlled calm then she was now. While Miranda had learned a long time ago to mask her emotion, it still occasionally leaked out at inopportune moments.

Alenko had been more subdued after their talk and leaned stiffly against a retaining wall. Shepard couldn't help but feel resentment toward him; anger at his perceived betrayal regardless of what he had been through the past three years. She knew he didn't want to start again right where they had left off, it was impossible. She wasn't sure what he wanted. Alenko vexed her, and Shepard found confusion upsetting. Anger was a more familiar emotion, one that she understood and could manipulate.

A slight movement to her right caught her attention, and Shepard nodded curtly to Ambassador Udina. He climbed the stairs slowly, taking his sweet time, and balked when he saw the look on the commander's face.

"I had some matters to address, Commander. I am running behind schedule."

"Be late on your own time, Udina." Shepard snarled. "I've got work to do."

"Twice in one day," he quipped, the familiar frown creasing his brow. "I'll be glad once you leave, Shepard."

"That'll make two of us."

The group climbed the last bank of stairs to the audience chamber, Udina and Shepard in the lead as they approached the Petitioner's Stage. Shepard studied the gardens below. The glass had been repaired and new greenery planted. No trace of her battle with the Reaper remained, not even scorch marks. It seemed that neither the Council nor the keepers wanted any reminder of what was almost lost here.

Alenko cleared his throat softly and Shepard directed her attention to the three councilors on the platform across from her, mentally preparing herself for the verbal sparring that was sure to come. Udina puffed up ostentatiously, parading his importance before the spectators in the chamber. The commander heaved a sigh. It was a sad bit of luck that humanity had this vainglorious windbag to speak for them. She could only imagine the effects Udina had on humanity's image were anything but positive.

"Ambassador Udina, how nice of you to join us," the turian councilor drawled. "And you brought Commander Shepard."

Shepard nodded in acknowledgment, swallowing a sharp retort. "Councilors."

The air around her had suddenly grown thick, a knot of tension forming in her gut, and she subtly examined the chamber. A number of spectators had gathered on the balconies above, observing their meeting, curious about its content. It was not a sight that Shepard was comfortable with, being in such open ground. She shifted imperceptibly, feeling the weight of her cannon on her hip, and her confidence stabilized.

"Why have you called this meeting, Ambassador? Do the humans now seek to take control of galactic trade as well?"

Shepard noticed Udina bristle slightly at the comment, and was grudgingly impressed at his ability to maintain an otherwise unruffled disposition. She realized that as a politician, Udina would be well practiced in such a feat.

"That is not the matter before the Council at this time." Udina stated. "I am here on behalf of Commander Shepard and the Systems Alliance to request she be reinstated to full Spectre status and acknowledged as such."

A low rumble spread through the crowds and the councilors exchanged bland glances. Udina puffed up even more, as if the size of his ego could sway the Council to do his bidding. The asari councilor was first to speak.

"Commander Shepard is already reinstated as a Spectre."

"But not with Council backing. Her previous orders were to remain in terminus space and conduct her business therein. Those orders are now defunct as her mission is complete."

The salarian councilor manipulated the controls on his terminal. "She has discovered the source of the colonial abductions?"

Shepard stepped forward, activating her omni-tool as she did so. A series of lights flashed on the councilors' terminals, indicating a new data transfer. She punched a sequence of buttons and a diagram of the Collector base winked into existence above her 'tool, the yellow light fluttering as the diagram appeared to rotate.

"The Collectors were the source of the abductions." She said, her voice confident with the knowledge of the base's destruction. "They have been neutralized."

The mandibles of the turian councilor flared wildly. "Is this information accurate, Commander? Or is this your idea of a joke?"

She should have expected as much from him. "To what do you refer, Councilor?"

The turian waved a clawed hand at his terminal and the diagram of Collector DNA that rotated slowly in front of him. "The only evidence we have to support the Prothean/Collector theory is yours. Are we supposed to rely on data from a Cerberus conspirator?"

It was Shepard's turn to bristle and she did a poor job of hiding it. Her blood boiled as her fury rose, armor creaking as she balled gloved hands into fists. She opened her mouth to speak, but Udina prevented her, interrupting her potential tirade with diplomatic drivel.

"Commander Shepard's data has been reviewed and verified by the Alliance's own staff, one of whom is currently assigned to act as the commander's liaison."

Shepard shot a look back at Alenko who stood at attention, eyes straight forward. A swell of conflicting emotions surfaced within her. He had been privy to the intelligence she had sent the Alliance even before his posting as liaison. The commander debated briefly on whether or not that was a positive fact, but her attention was wrenched back to the meeting.

"Ah yes," the turian began, "I see that Staff Commander Alenko is also the same individual who was on Shepard's original Normandy crew. That fact does nothing to encourage my confidence, Ambassador."

Shepard could almost see Alenko stiffen out of the corner of her eye. It seemed the turian councilor had a penchant for evoking strong reactions in all manner of individuals.

"The data was verified by a team of specialists, Councilors. Commander Alenko was one of many on that team." Udina's voice had grown sharp, his earlier impatience with Shepard starting to leak through.

The asari councilor made a conciliatory gesture, her quiet calm presence smoothing the air of tension in the chamber. She motioned to the turian and salarian councilors, each nodding in turn before once more facing Ambassador Udina.

"Very well, Ambassador." Her calm voice fluttered softly through the air, dampening the fury in Shepard's blood. "We approved of Commander Shepard's reinstatement to full Spectre status, operational anywhere in council space."

Shepard stepped forward before Udina could speak. "Thank you Councilors. I assume the Council will be willing to assist me in future endeavors against the Reapers?"

The commander swore she could have heard Udina's jaw drop in the silence that descended throughout the chamber. There was a reason why Shepard wasn't a politician: diplomacy was rarely ever as blunt as she tended to be.

The councilors shuffled, the turian's mandibles flaring wildly again. "The Reapers are a myth, Commander. Why do you insist on pursuing this fantasy?"

Udina whispered harshly in Shepard's ear. "Shut your mouth."

The commander ignored him. "Why do you think I'm throwing all this data at you? The Protheans were wiped out by the Reapers fifty thousand years ago, but some survived and were genetically and synthetically altered to suit the needs of the Reapers. Their technology comes from the Reapers. That's why they're so much more advanced than any other known species."

The salarian councilor shuffled forward. "While the DNA strands do appear identical, Commander, there is no proof that the Protheans were forcibly modified. It is a viable theory that they chose to alter their genetic code in order to survive the event, or events, that destroyed the rest of their race."

"That would be the Reapers," Alenko muttered behind her. Shepard shifted slightly, surprised at how relieved she felt to have him present at her side.

"The Council acknowledges your contribution to galactic safety by eliminating the threat of the Collectors." The asari's smooth voice flowed across the chamber, once more alleviating the building tension. "However, we cannot acknowledge a threat to council space without solid evidence of its existence."

"Didn't you tell me the same thing when I warned you of Saren's plan to attack the Citadel?" Her impatience was getting the better of her and Shepard despised the feeling of déjà vu that crept up her spine.

"And we acted on that warning when you were able to present us with tangible evidence."

Shepard restrained her growing urge to pull out her cannon. It was not that she wanted to shoot anyone, well not really, but the cool metal in her palm always managed to focus her energies and clear her head. However, the commander was smart enough to know that breaking out her weapons in Council Chambers would have the opposite effect of what she desired.

"What about the husks that were on Horizon?" Alenko stepped forward, adding his voice to the meeting for the first time. Shepard almost laughed aloud as she saw Udina cringe slightly. Apparently this meeting was not going at all the way he had planned.

The salarian councilor attended to the information on his terminal. "Staff Commander Alenko, I see no evidence that the husks found originally on Eden Prime, and then again on Horizon, indicate potential Reaper involvement. The Collectors could have taken that technology from the geth, or vice versa."

Alenko pushed past Udina to stand next to Shepard, continuing to question their lack of evidence. "What about the readings taken on the derelict Reaper orbiting Mnemosyne?"

Shepard frowned at the last, curious as to how much information Alenko had been privy to before his posting on the SR2. Granted he had had time to review the records while aboard, but a niggling sensation in the back of her mind caused her to wonder nonetheless.

"The records obtained from the Normandy's data banks had been corrupted and no discernible data was recovered." The salarian councilor tilted his head to the side in thought. "The supplemental records recorded by the geth known as Legion were found to be unreliable as it is geth."

"You've got to be shitting me," Shepard blurted much to the dismay of the ambassador. "We present you with the tangible evidence you've requested and _still_ you deny the existence of the Reapers? What's it going to take? Are we going to have to haul one of their ships in here just so you can call it advanced geth technology and blow off the potential threat?"

"Shepard, shut your mouth," Udina rasped again, doing his best to regain control.

"Maybe you should tell us exactly what kind of evidence you need in order to prepare for the Reaper invasion." Shepard paused in her thoughts, momentarily taken aback by Miranda's sudden involvement in the meeting. She always had a good point, though, and the commander smiled wryly.

"Miranda Lawson is it, the Cerberus liaison to Commander Shepard?" The turian flicked a switch on his terminal, and a stream of data scrolled down the display in front of him. "And just what is an avowed enemy of the Council doing in its chambers?"

Udina stepped forward, eager to reassert his importance in the meeting. "Miss Lawson cut her ties to Cerberus months ago and has been functioning as Commander Shepard's XO during the past year. She has been invaluable in gathering the Cerberus intelligence that will be forwarded to the Council forthwith."

"Understand, Commander Shepard," the asari began, "the evidence we seek must be tangible and uncorrupted. Live data feed will also suffice. More than one source of information for corroborative purposes will strengthen your claims." She held up a blue hand, forestalling any protest. "However, we believe your pursuit of such evidence to be in vain. The Reapers do not exist, Commander. We believe your attention would be best spent in other pursuits."

Shepard felt her blood begin to boil again, and clenched her fists once more, but it was Alenko who spoke. "What do you think would have happened three years ago if we had directed our attention toward other pursuits instead of Saren?" He gestured broadly, indicating the whole of the Citadel. "None of this would be here now. None of you would have survived the Reaper invasion. We would have been wiped out, or modified, just like the Protheans."

The asari inclined her head in acknowledgement, but maintained her stoic reserve. "And we honored Commander Shepard and her crew for our rescue, for eliminating Saren's threat. While we remember her heroic deeds, there are other matters in the present that now require the Council's attention." She locked eyes with Shepard. "You have the full support of the Council, Commander Shepard, but even with your Spectre status reinstated, we cannot act on your word alone. Bring the evidence that we require."

Shepard pursed her lips in thought. She knew a dismissal when she heard one, and wasn't surprised to see the councilors turn off their terminals and quickly exit the platform. Alenko turned to her and shook his head irritably. She had been surprised that he had spoken up during the meeting when he'd remained silent every time before. It was an odd change of pace.

The individuals on the balconies dispersed and Miranda leaned against the half wall by the stairs, quietly observing the group's interaction. Udina pushed past Alenko and glared at Shepard, the deep creases of his scowl forming a web of scorn across his face. He continued his pompous act, attempting to look down his nose at Shepard, forced to raise his chin to do so.

"Do you have any idea what you've done, Shepard?"

The commander sighed heavily. "No, but I _bet_ you're going to tell me." While pissing Udina off had been the more entertaining part of the day, she loathed the eventual consequences. She prepared her selective hearing for the incoming chastisement.

"Do you realize that the Council already questions your sanity? That they think your pursuit of this 'Reaper' fantasy is an exercise in psychosis? I'm surprised they even agreed to reinstate you at all!"

"Now wait just a moment, Ambassador." Alenko's sonorous voice resounded across the platform. "If you really believed that, then you would never have asked for her reinstatement in the first place."

Shepard cocked a triumphant eyebrow and allowed herself the pleasure of a smirk at Udina's expense. Alenko was definitely handy to have at political engagements, especially when dealing with Udina. She'd have to bring him along at her next Council meeting.

"Commander Alenko, I wonder why you are so quick to side with your old CO when you've done nothing but hunt down Cerberus operatives for the past two years."

His statement did not have the desired effect. Alenko crossed his arms in agitation while Shepard shot Udina a patronizing look. She was better informed than he had realized, and the anticipated reaction to Alenko's previous assignments was severely lacking in any intensity.

"Udina, why don't you pull your head out of your ass and let us work?" The commander was immensely pleased with the look on the ambassador's face and reveled in the deliciously juvenile absurdity of their exchange. She'd picked up some bad habits on the streets of Earth, but petty insults still came in handy.

Shepard allowed herself a small smile as she watched Udina stalk off the platform toward the chamber's exit. Miranda followed, leaving Alenko and Shepard trailing behind her. The commander glanced over at him; a small smile graced his face, but was still darkened with distress. He was as irritated as she was with the Council's sluggishness. It was Saren all over again.

"Alenko, thanks for your help back there. You know you didn't have to do that."

He nodded, dark eyes staring ahead as concern creased his brow. It _had_ been like old times, getting belittled by the Council and doing everything in their power to prove them wrong. It had been unexpected of him to step up and challenge the councilors, questioning their logic and their dismissal of the evidence; unexpected and somewhat irritating as well. While she understood that he had not meant to undermine her authority, he had done just that. Granted he was now of a higher rank, but it mattered little as she technically wasn't in the Alliance anymore. This was her mission, her responsibility, and as a Spectre, her authority superseded his.

"Don't do it again, Alenko." She tried to keep her voice neutral, but it came out sounding harder than she had meant.

He paused momentarily as he met her gaze, his dark eyes shimmering. "You _are_ going to say my name again one of these days, Shepard."


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: As always, thanks to my beta and to the readers. Have some husks!

Chapter 18

Shepard's mind worked furiously, processing the latest information from Alliance Command. She twirled her tags restlessly, the soft clinking doing nothing to diminish her concentration. Anderson had jammed an OSD into her palm at their last meeting, briefly saying his goodbyes before news of his resignation broke. Hackett had sent the information through him, certain that it would end up in her hands, and the Normandy was once more on the go. She was excited to be moving forward with the mission, never more sure that she was taking the correct course of action.

Glancing at the data feed scrolling down the display, she contemplated the latest intelligence. The planet Parnassus was a cornucopia of volcanic activity with extremes in temperature and unstable tectonics. The surface was littered with geothermal and solar power stations, but the reason for their abandonment was unknown. Shepard was intrigued, especially considering the planet's existence had been wiped from Council records.

The commander ordered Joker to set course before the Normandy had even cleared the reach of the wards, eager to be underway. Dealing with bureaucrats and their standard issue protocol had never been her strong suit, but neither was she one to fly by the seat of her pants. Her motives were always calculated, controlled, and never without the intended impact. Shepard didn't go through N7 training just to "wing it." When it came to completing a mission she knew exactly what she was doing.

When it came to personal issues, however, it was another matter entirely. Alenko's presence was growing more and more distracting, and even in the confines of her own cabin she still felt him. Shepard had decided against bringing him with her on this mission, choosing instead to utilize her tech expert, Hanson, and allowing Grunt to run freely across lava filled plains. That poor krogan was starting to grow restless again, and she didn't want to worry about the safety of her ship.

She glanced once more at the display, the data feed lit with yellow, and recalled Hackett's orders. Shepard and her team were to investigate Parnassus and scan the abandoned stations. Someone had gone through quite a bit of trouble to delete an entire planet's existence from the records, and Hackett wanted to know why. What this had to do with the Reapers, Shepard could only guess, but any lead in any direction was worth checking out at this point.

EDI's orb-like avatar materialized beside the empty aquarium. Shepard stopped fidgeting with her tags and placed them back down on the desk. She had decided not to wear them for the time being, reminded too much of the Alliance's abandonment of her. At times, though, just the feel of the cool metal in her hands was familiar and oddly comforting.

"Commander, we are on approach to Parnassus."

"Thank you EDI. Inform Joker I'm on my way down. Have Hanson and Grunt suit up and meet me in the cargo hold in ten."

"Affirmative, Commander. Logging you out."

Shepard flicked off her terminal and stood, stretching. She hurried to her locker and donned her armor, relishing the anticipation pooling in her gut. It was good to get back into the flow of things, visiting alien planets, engaging in combat, and carrying far too many weapons. She had never questioned her choice to join the military. She was good at killing.

The commander secured the fit of her bracers during the elevator ride down, pulling them tighter around her forearms, and double checked the fastenings on her ammo belt. Safe in the knowledge that both her defensive and offensive capabilities were up to par, she strode purposely through the CIC and into the cockpit where Joker waited.

"Entering orbit now, Commander." He adjusted the feed on the console's monitor, displaying a dark planet charred by volcanic activity. Joker shot her a wry look over his shoulder. "You sure you want to go down there? You know lava _is_ bad."

The corner of her lip curled in a half-smile as she remembered another mission involving lava and burning boots, and clapped Joker playfully on the shoulder. "No worries. We got a shuttle this time."

"A fat lot of good that'll do you," he mumbled under his breath.

Shepard brushed off his statement and eyed the planet. "EDI, what do the scans report? Any life signs down there?"

"Negative, Commander." EDI's synthesized voice resounded through the small room. "Although a geothermal plant in the northwest quadrant is giving off some very unusual readings."

"Unusual how?"

"Volcanic activity is interfering with my sensors, Commander, but the electromagnetic signature is similar to geth technology."

"Geth?" Shepard chewed her lip in thought and bounced her helmet against her leg. "That's where we're going. Joker, send the coordinates and let them know I'm on my way down."

"Aye, aye, Commander."

O o O o O o O

The geothermal plant was empty of life, but it wasn't empty. Something was still roaming the halls, slinking about in the shadows. The lights flickered wildly, often shutting off completely for short, sporadic intervals. Shepard suspected damage to the converters, or possibly the power generators, and Hanson concurred. That would be their first priority, stabilizing the power grid in order to access the plant's mainframe.

However, when they first entered the plant the commander realized something was amiss; the dead bodies on the floor were a good indicator. Shepard nudged the ragged remnants of a scientist with her boot, his shredded lab coat barely recognizable. She crouched down and studied the remains, Hanson and Grunt securing their perimeter.

"Look at this bruising here - and here." She frowned, recalling a number of memories that were best left alone. "Watch your six. We've got husks."

Grunt snorted and readied his weapon. Hanson shot the commander a nervous glance, the sheen of his sweat beading on his face. Shepard adjusted the environmental controls on her suit, the planet's heat seeping into her bones. She checked the ammo count on her cannon and readied herself for combat.

"Check your corners and keep your ears open, Hanson. These bastards let you know they're coming."

Hanson nodded, the nervous look still in his eyes, but he readied his pistol and moved to the door. It shuddered violently open, the grinding shriek of the metal brackets echoing down the hall and signaling to awaiting enemies of their entrance. Shepard bit her lip in frustration, but it was too late to worry about stealth now. They had a mission to accomplish.

The commander took point, moving quickly and carefully through the halls. The flickering lights set her nerves on edge, distorting her view and causing every shadow to come alive. Their progress could have been faster, but Shepard didn't feel like taking any chances, not with husks on the loose. She secured every corner and shadowed recess on the way.

Hanson followed close behind her, updating the commander on the plant layout and power fluctuations. His nervousness had not abated, but by utilizing his omni-tool he managed to keep his focus on the mission. Grunt covered their rear, shotgun at the ready and good to go. He acted like he was actually looking forward to combating the husks.

The lights flickered again and then went out completely. High-pitched screams echoed through the halls, reverberating wildly on all sides, and Shepard readied her weapon. She could hear Hanson breathing rapidly as he cocked the hammer on his pistol. Grunt growled lowly and, from the sound of his footsteps, moved to the left. The lights in the hall blinked once, flaring brightly and then died. Her team was left alone in the dark with an unknown number of hostiles closing on their position.

Shepard adjusted her visor, activating her night vision. The view of the corridors changed, appearing green and dingy. She moved forward along the wall, Hanson still following behind her, and poked her head around the corner. No sooner had her eyes focused than she recognized a mob of husks running her way. They screamed loudly, movements spasmodic and eyes blazing.

The commander pulled the grenade launcher from its casing and fired at the incoming mob, scattering their remains and spraying the walls with greenish fluids. Hanson ignited an electric pulse, incinerating a rabid hostile charging toward their position. Grunt let loose with a shotgun burst behind them, roaring with excitement.

They were surrounded and Shepard launched another grenade. The flash blinded her momentarily, but her visor quickly adapted. Hanson crouched behind the wall opposite her, sending another electronic pulse and then a neural shock toward the mob as it drew closer. His earlier apprehension was gone for the time being, focused now on the current threat.

Grunt roared again on her six, the sounds of dull thuds and flashes of light penetrating her focus. A few husks had gotten past his guard and attempted to swarm him. Shepard turned and fired her cannon into the fray, determined to protect their rear guard. The krogan grunted in thanks, shouldering his shotgun and firing once more. The noise was almost deafening.

A warning note in Hanson's voice drew her attention back to point just as a husk rounded the corner. She shot its legs out from underneath, easily sidestepping it as it crashed into the ground. Shepard unloaded another round into its head, spraying residual brain matter across the floor. The commander looked up at more incoming hostiles, and let loose a barrage of fire as she returned to cover behind the wall.

"Commander," Hanson cried. "If they keep this up, we'll be overrun!"

Shepard crouched low and popped out of cover, shooting anything that moved. A few husks fell to the ground, but continued crawling forward even as others ran atop them. The commander threw her body against the wall again and loaded another clip, glancing over once more at Hanson. He'd just released an incendiary blast and the sheen of sweat was thick on his face. Shepard checked her suit's environmental controls, noting that the temperature inside the plant was rising. They would need to stabilize the power grid and soon.

A trickle of sweat dripped down her nose as she fired once more. The husks continued to close on their position, but then she saw Grunt charge past her and into the hallway. She popped off few shots to give him extra cover, but the angry krogan needed none. He jumped into the fray, arms thick as tree trunks swatting the husks in all directions with vigorous enthusiasm. He had eliminated the threat to the rear and now appeared to be working off excess energy.

Shepard and Hanson continued to provide supporting fire as Grunt demolished anything that moved. He snorted loudly as the last husk went down, stomping its remains into the floor. Shepard adjusted her visor's focus to see him better. He rolled his eyes, glancing toward her and snarled excitedly. The commander nodded in acknowledgement, reloading her cannon as she moved forward.

"Good work, Grunt. I knew I brought you for a reason."

He barked with laughter as he shouldered his shotgun, eager for more action. A feral grin crossed his face. "These things are soft. I like soft."

Hanson stood slowly, surveying the ghoulish wreckage in the hallway, a look of fascinated horror on his face. He met the commander's eyes, his own devoid of emotion as the expression on his face shifted. Shepard scanned him with her omni-tool, and noting no injury, cuffed him on the shoulder.

"Get it together, Hanson. I need you functional."

The corporal frowned as if returning to himself and shook his head. "I've read about husks, but I never thought…" His voice trailed off as he looked back into the hallway.

Grunt was sifting through the sludge, pouncing on anything that moved or was still squishy, and having a whale of a time. Hanson's face became even greener in the spectrum of her night vision, and he hunched behind the wall to retch. Shepard turned around to give him some privacy, surprised that a marine would be so susceptible to gore.

Hanson coughed and sputtered, expelling the rest of his stomach's contents, and Shepard double checked the layout of the plant. The main control center was located down the hall and to the right, not more than twenty yards from their current position. She cocked an eyebrow at Hanson as he stood back up, wiping the sweat and bile from his face.

"Sorry, Commander. Won't happen again."

She gave him a hard look, studying his features, and decided that he should be able to hack it. The lights flickered on briefly as they made their way forward, then snapped off again, leaving them once more in darkness. Shepard ignored the rising heat and the sweat that trickled between her shoulder blades, focusing instead on the task ahead.

She took point, creeping along the wall and poked her head around the corner. The corridor was clear as far as she could tell and the scanner showed no indication of hostile activity. Shepard motioned Grunt and Hanson forward, Grunt flanking the door as Hanson moved into position to hack it. The commander stayed behind to cover their six, her awareness more strained than usual due to the dark and heat. She adjusted the photodetectors on her visor, increasing the range spectrum. If something was coming at her in the dark, she wanted to be sure to see it.

There was a flash of green behind her and Hanson announced success. She moved to point, signaling Grunt and Hanson to maintain their positions as she accessed the console. The door slid open easily with barely a whisper. Shepard slipped inside, her adrenaline pumping as she scanned the perimeter.

The control room was small, dark, and cramped with barely enough room for the many consoles that were packed inside. Shepard glanced down at her 'tool, which showed no signs of enemy combatants, and continued forward. She aimed her cannon into shadowed corners, scanning for survivors or husks, careful to keep her guard up. Sweat beads formed on her forehead and dripped down her nose, falling silently to the ground. She motioned for Grunt and Hanson to enter and secure the door behind them.

Hanson moved to the main control terminal, working to activate the power grid with the ease of an experienced tech. He frowned and crouched down, opening the console panel underneath and tampering with the network of cables inside. Grunt remained by the door, eyes ahead and shotgun at the ready. He looked as if he were ready to charge down the corridor again at a wave of husks. While tempting, Shepard wanted to keep combat at a minimum if possible. She hated husks.

"Ooh-rah," Hanson cried as he stood back up. "We're in business."

Shepard raised a slender eyebrow, but said nothing. Hanson continued his work, the light of the terminal throwing eerie shadows across the room. The commander paced to and fro, keeping one eye on the door and the other on her scanner. While she expected trouble from the plant's inhabitants, she didn't want to rush into it. It would be best to get the power grid stabilized before engaging hostiles. Visibility was handy in combat.

Hanson turned to her and flashed a cocky smile. He punched a button and the room lit up brightly, causing Shepard to wince and deactivate her night vision. She squinted at first, Hanson doing the same, but quickly readjusted to the light. Grunt snorted and slammed clawed fists together.

"So you humans can see again? Such weak eyes."

The commander shot him a stern look and gestured for him to take up position. "Hanson, can you download the data from here?"

He was already working on the terminal, the data feed scrolling down the screen. "Not a problem, Commander." His voice caught at the last, and he frowned at the display.

"Report, Corporal."

"You know those unusual readings that EDI mentioned?" Shepard nodded as Hanson continued. "I think I found the reason."

She strode up to the display and clicked on the feed. "They found an 'ancient artifact of unknown origin.' How much you want to bet it's a Reaper indoctrination device?"

"I've heard it's not healthy to bet against you, Commander." Hanson cracked a small smile as if testing the waters.

Shepard brushed off his comment and adjusted the data feed. The yellow information scroll changed and projected the outlines of a diagram, a schematic of the plant. Shepard pointed to another room across the facility. "Here – according to the records, this is where they stored it."

Hanson enhanced the figure and frowned again. "That's on the other side of the plant, Commander."

Grunt snarled, the feral grin once more splashed across his face. "Good. I'm ready for more enemies to kill."

"I can't say I feel his enthusiasm, Commander. Orders?"

Shepard considered the schematic a moment longer. "The council wants evidence so let's go get them some."

Grunt pumped his arms and rolled his shoulders while Hanson downloaded the data. His earlier discomfort appeared to have waned, but Shepard was still concerned about his combat effectiveness. As long as he pulled his weight, though, she wouldn't worry, crossing that bridge if they came to it.

The terminal signaled with a flash of light and Hanson wiped the main drive, the data now stored on his omni-tool. Shepard checked the setting on her suit's environmental controls and noted the plant's temperature had stabilized. She would be more comfortable working in the heat with the knowledge that it wouldn't last.

Brushing the sweat from her forehead she set Hanson on the door's left flank and conveyed her readiness. He activated the console and opened the door. An empty corridor lay ahead of them and Shepard moved forward, her 'tool actively scanning for life signs. She was unsurprised when none were detected and continued forward.

The lighting still flickered occasionally but remained on, the majority of the power fluctuations eliminated. The trio moved down the hallway in standard formation, pausing when they approached an intersection or turned a corner. Shepard kept Hanson near her, relying on his constant information drip as they progressed forward. He still appeared nervous, but disguised it behind techno-babble.

The commander held up her fist, signaling the other two to stop and keep their eyes open. She crouched low beside the wall, glancing down at her scanner. Still no life signs appeared on the display, but the knot in her gut implied something wasn't quite right. She poked her head around the corner, studying the empty corridor that lead to their objective. It contained nothing but the sterile white plating that lined the rest of the halls, occasionally dented and scratched, but otherwise intact. A flat grey door stood at the end, mocking in its simplicity.

Shepard frowned and motioned Grunt forward, holding Hanson back for the moment. The hulking krogan lumbered down the corridor, his nature completely at odds with the blandness of the scene. Shepard watched him progress, shotgun ready for action, but none came. She stayed low for a few more moments before sending Hanson down the corridor to unlock the door. Again her gut clenched, but again nothing happened.

The commander frowned in annoyance and attempted to scan the room at the end of the hall. She received the same readings as EDI had earlier, although there was less interference down on the planet's surface. The electromagnetic signature was similar to geth technology, but with varying differences. If it was in fact an indoctrination device, that would explain the discrepancies as well as Shepard's discomfort.

Hanson nodded at Shepard, signaling his success and she inhaled deeply, readying herself as she activated the console. The area inside looked to be some kind of large storage room, filled haphazardly with all sorts of crates, scientific paraphernalia, and one large shipping container that seemed to be glowing a pale blue. The commander shot a grave look at her team and moved inside. Grunt and Hanson followed carefully, flanking her position. She glanced down at her scanner, but still no enemy hostiles were detected.

She gestured to Grunt and had him take point, moving further into the room, and Hanson crept up next to her.

"Ma'am?"

Shepard shook her head, indicating silence and turned back to Grunt, watching his progress. He had made it to the shipping container without any problems, glancing around as if questioning why nothing had attacked him. Shepard motioned to Hanson, sending him toward Grunt's position. He clambered over and around the crates, eyes wide and pistol ready.

Nothing moved besides Hanson, and Shepard frowned. She moved from her position and flanked the door to the shipping container. She gestured again to Hanson. "Open it."

His lips twitched as if in protest, but he obeyed, syncing up his 'tool to the container doors. Shepard watched Grunt shift restlessly, his nervous energy contagious. She surveyed the room while Hanson worked, noting the thick amount of dust on the crates. This room had not been used in some time.

The hinges groaned loudly as Hanson pushed one of the double doors open, the other hopelessly stuck. The blue light glowed brighter from inside the container and Shepard peeked inside. A series of terminals lined the wall, the flashes and displays glowing bright blue. A network of wires ran from the consoles to a table shoved against the opposite wall, a bulky form atop it hidden by a protective covering.

Her attention was drawn back to the room when she heard the first scream and realized her instincts were correct. Husks swarmed toward them, dropping from the ceiling and crawling out of the crates. Shepard ordered Hanson inside the container, his skills best used at a distance. She moved inside as well, shifting Grunt to point just inside the doors where he could do the most damage.

"Grunt, maintain position. Make them bottleneck."

He growled fiercely, eager to test his mettle once more. Shepard switched to her grenade launcher, letting loose on the approaching mob. Hanson attacked from behind, providing suppressing fire and incineration blasts. Shepard glanced back at him briefly, noting that he wore an expression of anxiety once again, but was following her orders without hesitation.

Shotgun blasts rang out as Grunt let loose on the hostiles, the sound of his thunder echoing in the small space. The progress of the husks had slowed, trampling each other during their mad dash across the room. They were now immobilized in an undulating wave of dark blue, Grunt laughing ferociously as he picked them off.

Shepard launched another grenade into the fray, the explosion sending flaming husk remnants across the room. Hanson continued to provide supporting fire, releasing a neural shock on a husk that had pushed past Grunt. The commander knocked it back with the butt of her launcher and stomped on its head. The krogan was right: husks were soft.

Shepard glanced down at her omni-tool between grenade blasts. The scanner indicated numerous enemy targets massing outside of their position. She noted that the other door was still holding and hoped like hell it wouldn't bust open. She let loose with another grenade, watching the fireworks decimate the enemy.

The trio continued the pattern for some time, Grunt holding point with support from Hanson and explosions from Shepard. She had been able to catch a husk when it got past his guard, knocking it back and then shooting it. Only once did a husk make it past Shepard, toward Hanson. He unloaded an entire clip, still firing even after it had stayed down. The commander had wrenched him back to reality with a sharp request for a sit-rep.

Masses of blue-black husks continued to writhe just outside the container door, and Shepard wiped the exertion from her face. It seemed like a never ending stream of husks had gathered here from all over. She sighted down her launcher and let loose with her last grenade. A brilliant explosion rocked the walls, and Shepard returned it to its casing.

Grunt worked furiously to keep them at bay, reloading his shotgun as quickly as he could. When he didn't have time to reload, he would beat the husks, hammering them with the butt of his gun. Shepard had switched to her cannon, taking aim at enemy heads, her ammo slowly dwindling. Worry began to seep into her veins just as Hanson let loose with an incineration blast.

Grunt was running low on ammo, and Hanson was out, the strength of his tech attacks dwindling with his power reserves. Shepard continued to fire, her adrenaline pumping and her mind working. The husks were slowly gaining ground, pushing Grunt back, and a plan formed in the commander's mind.

She glanced back at Hanson who appeared to be struggling with his fear and grabbed his attention. "Corporal, get me one of those terminals."

He frowned in confusion, but complied, handing Shepard the box-like apparatus.

"Grunt," her voice was hoarse with tension. "Keep on them just a little bit longer."

Shepard got an angry snarl in response as Grunt renewed his battle rage. His body was beaten and bloody, covered in greenish ooze from the husks, and still he fought on.

The commander crouched down and opened the lower panel of the terminal, pulling out the wires as she did so. A quick flick of her wrist and the inner chamber opened up, the dual power sources flaring brightly. Shepard yanked both out, broke one open, and drizzled its contents over the terminal. She took one of the stray wires and wrapped the second power source in it, tying it tightly to the casing. The commander glanced at Hanson and he nodded knowingly.

She hefted the terminal onto her shoulder and tossed it into the mass of husks, Hanson throwing an incineration blast as soon as it connected with the mob. The fluid on the terminal ignited violently, scorching the surrounding husks. Shepard grabbed Grunt, pulling him inside and forcing the door shut just as the terminal's other power cell lit up. The resulting explosion rocked the shipping container and rattled their teeth.

Grunt rolled his eyes forward at Shepard, the savage grin on his face once more. "And here I thought you were all out of surprises."

The commander slid down tiredly between Grunt and Hanson as the screaming of the burning husks outside quieted. "Terminal bombs? I thought everyone knew that trick."


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Happy New Year, all!

Chapter 19

Shepard stood back up and took a moment to compose herself. The screams of the husks had died and the scent of burnt electronics and charred flesh filled the air. The trio had left the doors to the container closed for the time being, unsure if the readings from the scanner were correct. Although no hostile activity was identified, Shepard didn't want to take any chances just yet.

She glanced at the terminals along the far wall; older models but still functioning. A network of wires led from the consoles to a bulky form underneath a protective tarp. Shepard frowned, a mix of curiosity and concern. The commander glanced back at Hanson who was accessing the terminals' database.

"Any information, Corporal?"

He punched a series of keys and the main display lit up, a stream of data exploding across the monitor. "Looks like something they dug up nearby. By the look of these consoles, though, I'd say the station has been abandoned for at least ten years."

Shepard pulled back the sheet revealing a metallic chunk of segmented debris approximately eight by two feet. The sight of it set off a chill in her bones, dredging up memories she'd kept locked away. Hanson stepped up next to her, scanning the debris with his 'tool.

"It's metal alright, but I'm also picking up signs of organic residue. And look here," he punched in another sequence of numbers, his eyes alight with curiosity. "It looks like the residual charge from some form of power source, like this piece was part of a larger conduit."

Shepard tried to follow along, to listen to his explanations and encourage his research, but she already knew what it was. She had seen one before. And it had almost killed her.

"It's part of a Reaper, part of their 'appendages,' or whatever you want to call it."

Hanson shot her a look of such surprise that she thought it might freeze on his face. "How can you be sure?"

"Is this thing safe?" Shepard asked, ignoring his question.

Hanson continued scanning. "I think so. Whatever made the husks, this wasn't it – too small with too little power."

"Good." She turned toward Grunt who was waiting restlessly. "Can you carry that thing back to the shuttle?"

He snorted. "I'm dropping it if we get attacked again."

Shepard frowned, her temper rising. "Just do it, Grunt."

He snorted again, but said nothing as he threw the enormous chuck of debris onto his shoulder. Shepard cracked open the door and scanned the storeroom. The macabre remains of husks littered the floor and ceiling, the crates still smoking from their battle.

The commander pushed the door all the way open and hopped out of the shipping container. Hanson followed on her heels while Grunt climbed down. Shepard held her cannon at the ready, last clip loaded. She scanned the perimeter, but saw no signs of hostile activity, and continued forward.

She shouldn't have worried. The plant was empty and they made it back to the docking bay without any enemy engagements. Grunt dropped the metal chunk on the cabin's floor, the noise echoing loudly in the confined space. Shepard shot him a sharp look as she buckled her harness, but it didn't faze him. Hanson studied the readings on his omni-tool, his eyes alight with eagerness and all trace of earlier anxiety gone. She was interested in seeing just what information he could gather from this little venture.

O o O o O o O

"So this is all we've got so far?" Jacob tossed the data pad onto the conference table. It clattered loudly amidst the silence. "The council won't support us with just this."

Shepard considered the man. He had appeared preoccupied as of late, but it was rare to see him this agitated. Normally, he was the one she could count on to stay cool in impossible situations. However, she supposed even Mr. Taylor had his off days.

"What would you have us do, Jacob?" Miranda leaned forward in her seat, calm and calculating.

"We send down another team and collect the rest of the Reaper debris. EDI already confirmed its existence and even mapped out the coordinates." Jacob crossed his arms, his eyes on the commander.

Shepard returned his stare with a cool look of her own. "I already told you we forwarded that information to Alliance Command. Let their people deal with the threat of indoctrination. I won't take that risk on my ship or with my crew. We got what we came for. Do you understand, Mr. Taylor?"

Jacob shifted in his seat. "Permission to speak freely, ma'am?"

"No." Shepard scanned her own data pad and glanced across the table. "Garrus, has your contact provided you with any more information on that alien ship design?"

Garrus nodded and punched a combination into the data pad. "It's still highly classified, but he was able to decode some of the intel. It seems that the ship was found to contain organic compounds, some kind of cybernetic construct, similar to a living ship."

Alenko leaned forward at that last, his eyes alight with interest. "A living ship? How is that even possible?"

"I don't know, Kaidan," Garrus entered another sequence into his pad. "I haven't got any more information yet, but I imagine a species advanced enough could 'grow' a ship."

Miranda nodded, tapping her fingers against red lips in thought. "That would make sense, if they had the right resources and capabilities – enhance a creature's natural characteristics with synthetic advancements. Make it safe for space travel and able to survive in a vacuum."

"I wonder if they had some sort of symbiotic relationship, maybe originating from the same home world or ecosystem even." Alenko's eyes flashed brightly as his mind worked to expound on his current theory.

Shepard held her hand up to forestall any further discussion. "There's no point in speculating just yet. Let's see what other information Garrus' contact can provide us before we jump to any conclusions." Alenko nodded as he sat back in his chair, chin in hand and still contemplating hypotheses.

She took a deep breath and pushed forward with the meeting, disliking the news that she needed to share. "Councilor Anderson has decided to resign his position. It hasn't been made public knowledge yet, but that's one less ally that we have on the Citadel." Muffled grumbles and gasps of surprise sounded around the table, but Shepard continued on. "Also, Captain Bailey has been promoted to Commander, and has moved to C-Sec Academy. He still has access to all the same sources of intelligence that he did before, more even, but his duties will be carefully monitored. He won't be up to his elbows in the muck anymore and his intel won't be as fresh."

"I know C-sec, and they'll have him driving a desk before they let him walk the wards again." Garrus' mandibles twitched in irritation. "Regulations are pretty clear. Bailey will have to stay clean."

"I thought as much, Garrus." Shepard scrolled further down her data pad, skimming the additional information that she had recently received. "On a positive note, we'll be seeing Tali again. She has requested we meet her on Haestrom to gather additional data for a comparative analysis."

"Haestrom again? There wasn't too much to find there last time." Jacob reached for his data pad and scrolled down the topic headings, reviewing the information Shepard had just sent her officers.

"She's got a detail of marines accompanying her, although I suspect we'll have less trouble with the geth this time around. Alenko, you, Hanson, and Legion will accompany me. We'll rendezvous with Tali and her team at the specific coordinates. ETA approximately thirteen hours."

"Aye, aye, Commander."

"Any news from Mordin or Samara?"

Shepard turned toward Miranda, her slender eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Samara hasn't sent a transmission in three weeks and Mordin's last communiqué stated that he would be unable to transmit for some time – something about mission parameters and intelligence leaks. I trust him to report when he's got something for me, though."

"And Liara?"

"Nothing new from our Broker as of yet. We've got our hands full enough right now as it is. Let's try not to go too far overboard people." Shepard scanned the room, studying the faces of her officers and settling on Jacob. "Corporal Hanson has been running a few tests on the Reaper appendage we brought back with us. He believes he might be able to incorporate some of that technology into arms and armor. Jacob, Garrus – I'll be expecting you two to assist him with that. If we can use this tech to our advantage, by all means let's do so."

"Yes, Commander."

"Shepard?" Garrus inclined his head in query. "You want to upgrade the guns? Again?"

The commander was a bit taken aback by his question, but quickly recovered her wits. "As long as we have the capability and the power draw doesn't drain our reserves, then yes. You have concerns?"

"No, I suppose not. Our technology _is_ ultimately based on theirs, and should be compatible in theory."

Shepard nodded. "Have Ken and Gabby assist you, or consult with Tali if you need to. I know the calibrations take up a lot of your time, but it's worth it if we can develop an even more sophisticated weapon. We're going to need every edge we can get."

"I'll see what I can do, Commander."

Shepard glanced at Alenko, her face neutral. "Commander, what is the status of Lt. Young?"

"Young has been written up for his security breaches, but has been cleared for duty." Alenko studied his data pad briefly. "He will return to third watch and I'll be supervising him."

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "You do realize, Alenko, that I only approved this because of the data he acquired."

"I do," he nodded.

She held his eye a moment longer, and then examined the others. "Is there any other business that we need to discuss?" No one seemed to have anything to add to the agenda. "Very well. Dismissed."

Shepard stood along with her officers as they all filed out of the conference room, but halted as Alenko grabbed her arm. She frowned, meeting his eyes with disapproval. The commander had work to do before they reached Haestrom, and she also wanted to catch some sleep while she could.

"Shepard, a word?" He released his grip and her arm fell back to her side.

"Why didn't you bring it up in the meeting?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, brow creasing with concern as he did so. "I didn't think personal issues should be brought up in front of the senior staff. I don't think that would've been considered professional."

Shepard glanced back to the exit. She had planned on visiting with Hanson about the new data after the meeting, curious to see what he had found. Now, however, she had been detained and fought to control her impatience.

"I really _do_ need to work, Alenko." Her voice was soft, sincere. "Can this wait?"

"Not for long."

Shepard's stomach flipped at the tone of his voice. She sighed. "What's your concern?"

"Why didn't you take me with you on the last mission? You know that Hanson doesn't have near the combat experience that I do."

The commander hadn't expected this question. "Hanson is a better tech than you and I put together. He specializes in AI and cybernetics. He was perfect for the mission, despite his lack of combat experience."

Alenko frowned, and Shepard questioned the actual reasons for his current state of distress. "You didn't know you'd need him when you left."

"Alenko, I don't have time for a pissing contest. What's done is done. Questioning my command decisions isn't the most productive thing you could be doing right now."

He balked at the last, and then realization dawned on her. Alenko had been worried about her safety. She pinched the bridge of her nose in thought, not quite sure what to say any more. "Look, I've got to go talk to Hanson. Do you want to come with me and see what he's found out?"

Alenko frowned again, chocolate eyes absent of mirth. "No, Commander. I have something productive I need to be doing."

It seemed like there was no winning with him, even when she actually tried to be nice. She hadn't even said anything about his informal use of her name. Shepard sighed irritably as she watched him exit the conference room. He evoked reactions from her that made her question herself time and time again. The man was infuriating.

The commander stood for a moment, collecting her thoughts and composing herself before entering the hall. She had actually felt good about this meeting, although there was little additional information to report. Neither Samara nor Mordin had updated her since their last staffing, and Tali had run into some snags with her research. Shepard was actually looking forward to seeing her again. The quarian had a soothing quality about her, predictable and dedicated. She always knew what to expect from Tali.

The doors to the lab hissed open as Shepard entered, briskly striding over to the examination table. The piece of debris that they had recovered was lying open and on display, needle thin tubing running parallel and lining the length of it. Flashes of light occasionally glittered within, active only where Hanson was working. He smiled at her, eyes like a fishbowl in his goggles.

"What do we have, Corporal?"

He shook his head in wonder, sliding his goggles up onto his brow. "It's amazing. This 'appendage,' as you called it, appears to be the end component of a particle beam accelerator. It gathered the energies from the main gun, focusing the power in this particular component. Theoretically, it would be more efficient than our cannons, discharging the most powerful burst of energy before it had time to degrade. It's also a fairly effective method for preventing a system overload – especially with the amount of power pumping through this baby."

Shepard nodded, mulling over the information. "So they have to wait to fire their weapons? Do they have a specific cool-down period?"

Hanson shook his head, the goggles jiggling slightly on his brow. "Not necessarily. My guess is that these appendages also function as a sort of storage unit, allowing the particles to bounce around and get more excited, enhancing the overall potency of the weapon. While there is no recharge time, the beam will be more effective the longer they wait to fire – hypothetically of course."

"Of course." Shepard smiled inwardly. Hanson was purposely dumbing down his speech and she appreciated it. She had overheard him speaking with Gabby about the guns earlier and thought she was listening to a foreign language. The commander had to hand it to him; Hanson sure seemed to know his stuff.

"Back on Parnassus, you mentioned readings that were organic in nature? Find anything more on that?"

The corporal directed her to the far end of the table where the debris widened and the innards appeared more complex. He pointed to what looked like a reddish knot of tubing. "You see where it almost looks rusted out? That's actually a high concentration of the organic residue that I think was spread throughout the inside of this tube. It's some sort of skin or muscle weave more advanced than anything I've ever seen."

"Can we make use of it?"

He nodded again. "I think so, Commander, but I want to study it further before I deem it ready for actual use."

"Agreed. I assume you've already started running the necessary tests?"

"You know it." A smile curled the corners of his mouth. "Dr. Chakwas is running a few gels for me now. We should have results within the next three hours."

"What about the data – the recordings from the terminals in the shipping container. What can you tell me about that?"

Hanson smiled again, eager to explain the readings. "Those terminals had been recording data for the past ten years and two months, give or take a week. It was in remarkably good condition, although some of the data was distorted. I suspect the husks may have meddled with it at some point, though whether on accident or intentionally, I have no idea."

Shepard nodded again and followed him to his workstation. She skimmed the data feed scrolling quickly down his monitor. "This it?"

"Yes, Commander." He pointed to a series of fluctuations in the readings. "This pattern here repeats multiple times, although it appears to occur at random intervals. I believe it was the debris reacting to the presence of the husks. It seemed to identify them as a power source."

"How is that possible?"

"I haven't quite figured it out myself, but the husks are a cybernetic organism. Perhaps it has something to do with the way they are created? I need to do more tests to be sure, but that's the closest thing to a theory that I've got at the moment."

"Good work, Hanson. I want a report of your preliminary results on my desk in two hours."

He quirked a cocky smile, completely at odds with the eagerness in his eyes and the fishbowl goggles on his head. "Already done, Commander."

Shepard was pleased. "Well then, Corporal. It's certainly nice to see that you're efficient. Patch it through to Alliance Command and send me a copy."

"Aye, aye, Commander. I'll do it now."

She allowed herself a satisfied smile, but it faded as she turned toward the Reaper debris. "Hanson, you're sure that there's no risk of indoctrination from this thing? It _is_ part of a Reaper."

"I'm sure, Commander." He pulled his goggles back over his eyes, once again distorted behind the lenses. "I think the reason why there were so many husks in the area was because it was familiar to them – the technology, I mean. If the Reapers made the husks then I believe they would be drawn to similar technology."

"And the crash site?"

"Underground and impossible to get to without environmental suits. The geothermal plants sheltered them from the heat and volcanic activity." He looked to the ceiling in thought. "Although I can't say that they would be safe from the earthquakes, but it would explain their presence."

"Thank you, Hanson." Shepard smiled again. "Keep me posted."


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: Bioware owns almost all.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, drakontion, and to everyone following along. As always, feel free to post your thoughts, opinions, etc.

Chapter 20

"Shepard, it's good to hear your voice."

The commander smiled at the digital image of her friend light years away, satisfied that Liara was relatively safe for the time being. The doctor had been an invaluable source of information so far, not only gathering intelligence on her own crew and mission, but anonymously assisting Anderson each chance she was able. Shepard didn't like that he was operating on his own now; not that she was overly worried for his safety, but that she had lost a valuable contact on the Council. The thought that Udina might fill his position caused the contents of her stomach to squirm in protest.

"And yours, Liara. How've you been?"

"Busy, Shepard. There has been an overt amount of traffic from of the krogan DMZ and the Citadel as well."

The commander frowned at the last. Something large had been brewing for the last few years and had been winding its way back into the galaxy, but she didn't worry much about the krogan DMZ. Wrex had supplied her with reports on clan status, and as long as Urdnot remained in power, she knew the any infighting would eventually resolve itself. An increase in Citadel comm. traffic was not unexpected either, what with Anderson's resignation. No doubt those who knew were already in contact with their sources, some of which worked for Liara.

What was disheartening was the lack of information coming out of asari space. She had hoped Samara, or even Aethyta, would have made some sort of political dent big enough to cause a ruckus. Granted there was still time and Shepard would just have to wait and see. She turned her attention back to the conversation.

"And the Terminus?"

"That just it, Shepard. It's been quiet. I've lost contact with two of my agents on Omega. I have another ready to move in place, but it will take some time."

Shepard swore under her breath. "So what's the bad news?"

A small smile creased the corners of her mouth, but her eyes betrayed her distress. "Shepard, I have information on a slaver ring near the outer rim."

_Another one?_ Shepard thought irritably.

"I must admit I am leery to provide you with the location given your history with batarians. I had thought not to involve you in additional concerns considering your already heavy load."

The commander took a breath to steady the rising tide of loathing in her blood. "Give me the data. I'll decide whether or not to follow up on it."

"Very well, Shepard." The delicate lines of her face creased ever so slightly as she frowned.

The commander mimicked her expression. "There are hundreds, maybe even thousands of slaver rings out there. What's so important about this one?"

"These slavers are particularly well organized and have been doing business for some time." Liara glanced off screen momentarily, shuffling through the data files on her desk. "They are also very particular about their records – records that include numerous business deals with the Collectors."

Shepard exhaled slowly as she leaned forward in her chair, propping her elbows on the desk. She had known for some time that slavers had provided the Collectors with samples in the past, often obtaining advanced technology for their efforts. However, it was surprising that the Collectors dealt with a regular supplier. She suspected the slaver ring was more advanced than the others, with possible information on their contacts.

"How many deals?"

Liara scanned her information again. "It varied. Sometimes they met once a year, sometimes as often as seven. They never went an entire standard year without some form of contact with the Collectors."

"Tell me you have the Collector contact information." Shepard chewed her lip in thought.

She shook her head, blue eyes angry. "I was in the process of gathering that data when I lost contact with my agent. That was almost two weeks ago."

"So what information do you have?"

Liara gestured off to her side where Shepard could not see. A data pad appeared in her hand, from Feron presumably, and she smiled warmly off-screen at him. "I have the location of their base, Shepard, and a record of every exchange with the Collectors for the past five standard years including their payment."

"Weapons tech?"

"Among other things, yes." The warmth in her eyes disappeared and transformed into tempered steel. "They are very well armed, Shepard."

The commander did not miss the warning in her voice, and Shepard mused on the metamorphosis of her friend. It seemed strange that the once naïve researcher had evolved so much in the past few years, maturing into the potent woman she saw before her. In the short time that she had known her, Liara had grown into a resilient being, molded by fierce tenacity. She was a marvel to behold.

"You sound worried. Don't."

Liara tilted her head slightly, contemplating the commander. "You do tend to give me much to worry about." She pursed her lips, the dark frown returning to her face. "I've had other concerns as well."

Shepard arched her brows questioningly, but said nothing.

"I believe I've had some security breaches, Shepard. Nothing serious, but it will require my attention for a time. I will need to halt communications."

The commander frowned. Losing her intelligence broker, even for a short period of time, was not something she was comfortable with. "What can I do?"

Liara shook her head slowly. "Nothing. This is something I must address on my own. I will contact you again as soon as I can."

"Liara?" Shepard's voice was purposely harsh, the severity of her tone belying her concern.

"You have the information you need, Shepard. I will contact you again when the situation is resolved."

The commander opened her mouth to protest, but Liara cut the contact before she could say more. A cold knot formed in the pit of her stomach and Shepard stood up abruptly, pacing the length of her cabin. She hated the feeling of helplessness that now coursed through her veins, and suddenly welcomed the potential for combat on the upcoming mission. A jaunt across a radiated planet would do her some good.

The sudden appearance of EDI's avatar drew her from her thoughts, her synthesized vocals echoing through the room. "Commander? Corporal Hanson is requesting your immediate presence in the laboratory."

Shepard exhaled forcefully, willing her irritation to subside. "Tell him I'm on my way down, EDI."

"Yes, Commander. Logging you out."

Shepard continued to pace restlessly in the elevator, her mind working furiously to formulate a solution to Liara's vague security problems. She was curious as to why Liara had not provided her with more specific information, which caused the commander to grow even more irate. She hated it when information was purposefully withheld. Shepard was still frowning when she entered the lab and the exasperated look on Hanson's face only served to darken her mood.

"Hanson?" She examined the room, the morass of fury in her blood threatening to boil over when she noticed the Reaper debris was no longer present. "Report."

The corporal winced at the tone of her voice, meeting her gaze with trepidation. "It's gone. All of it! I was here, working on it late last night, and then I came in a few minutes ago and it was gone."

A deadly calm settled over her, the heat in her veins throbbing as she clenched her fists. "And the data?"

"Gone."

O o O o O o O

Shepard was still seething in the shuttle as they departed the Normandy. The Reaper data had been wiped clean with no traces left. Not even an electronic shadow on EDI's hard drive remained. The Reaper debris was nowhere to be found and the only conclusion that Shepard and Hanson came to was that it had been jettisoned within the last twelve hours. The fact that someone had violated the integrity of her ship yet again pissed her off to no end.

She had confronted Young, waking him up in the crew quarters and grilling him on his whereabouts earlier in the morning. He had responded at first with his usual rancor until Shepard slammed him against the wall and threatened to remove vital organs. Alenko burst in the room at that exact moment, doing his best to peel her off Young. Shepard spit an unflattering retort in his direction, making the situation infinitely worse when he confirmed Young's story.

The commander had left the quarters still resonating with rage, infuriated that again EDI was unable to identify the earlier terminal access, much less track the jettison logs. Shepard had maintained her concentration during her initial video chat with Tali, but even light years away the quarian could tell something was amiss. The commander forwarded her the information, certain that Tali would have some input into the enigma compromising EDI's systems. Shepard hated security breaches, and felt compelled to improve the situation as soon as possible.

The commander leaned back in her seat, jostling slightly as the shuttle entered the upper atmosphere. During her conversation with Tali, the young woman had seemed very enthusiastic. Her research had confirmed that Dholen's abnormal aging was due to a dark energy flux, although she wanted to gather more data to corroborate her findings. Tali was nothing if not thorough.

Shepard had readily agreed, eager for a distraction and possibly something to shoot, although her hopes for a confrontation were decidedly poor since she'd blown the heretics to hell. According to Legion, the true geth did not maintain regular patrol routes in the Dholen system, conserving their resources for more constructive ventures.

She glanced at the synthetic seated across from her and wondered how Reegar would react to its presence. Quarians were not known for their tolerance of AI, with one exception. Tali had grown accustomed to Legion during her time on the Normandy - barring the occasional confrontation. Otherwise, they had performed admirably together, enhancing EDI's performance specs and gross power output.

Legion had also been useful in uncovering the security breaches on the Normandy weeks ago, although not through any sort of computational functioning. Miranda and the geth had poured over almost two thousand lines of code, meticulously picking apart the keystrokes used to mask the culprit's identity. Shepard had been expecting more resistance from Lt. Young than she had received, but was satisfied with his eventual cooperation nonetheless.

The shuttle bounced roughly as the landing thrusters activated, maneuvering carefully in order to stay in the sun's shadow. Dawn was breaking on Haestrom and the remains of night blanketed the ground, but glints of golden-red light still filtered through. Shepard readied her gear, once more checking her suit's settings.

She glanced over at Alenko who was doing the same, his omni-tool throwing shades of yellow across a stern face. He had been upset with her in the crew quarters when covering for his lieutenant. Shepard understood his need to protect the young man as they had served together before, but she was unsettled by his interference. In most situations, he would be supportive of her actions. She couldn't quite understand what angle he was playing.

Shepard caught his eyes as he looked up, dark and fathomless, disquieting in their intensity. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but snapped it shut as the shuttle doors opened, a flash of regret flickering across his face. She shook off his presence, unbuckled her harness, and hopped onto the surface of Haestrom.

Tali and Reegar awaited them with a squad of marines, armed and antsy. The engineer approached her, arms open in greeting. Shepard simply nodded, not in the mood for pleasantries. Alenko paused by her side, shaking hands with Reegar cordially. The friendly air in the meeting changed, however, when Legion stepped off the shuttle.

The squad of marines instantly raised their weapons, Reegar doing the same and cursing under his breath. He pushed Tali back protectively, taking a defensive stance in front of her while realization dawned on Alenko's face. Shepard had already moved to protect Legion, her own cannon raised toward the marines.

"Shepard-Commander. It appears our presence has provoked a fear reaction in the creators." Legion's head flaps fluttered briefly. "We anticipated specific responding, although reaction time was .089 seconds slower than predicted. We must re-assess."

"Wait! Stop!" Tali shouted emphatically. "He's with us!"

Legion's optics narrowed as Reegar stepped forward. Shepard maintained her defensive position while Alenko joined her, pistol in hand. The squad of marines, guns at the ready, exchanged glances and awaited their commander's orders.

Reegar paused, seemingly contemplating Tali's objection. She escaped his grasp, forcing her body in front of his and blocked his line of sight. Legion's head plates fluttered again, drinking in the observational data.

Tali placed a hand on Reegar's rifle. "Put it down, Kal. Legion is with Shepard's team. He is here to help."

"The female creator refers to us as having masculine attributes." The main optical port flared brightly. "We are unable to decipher the rationale behind this. More data required."

Shepard quirked an eyebrow at Legion's running commentary, but said nothing, preferring instead to observe the interaction between Tali and Reegar. Apparently, they had grown much closer in the previous months.

Reegar lowered his weapon, motioning his men to do likewise and turned his attention to Shepard. "Hell of a thing, Captain. You truck with interesting sorts."

The commander relaxed slightly and holstered her weapon. "Don't I know it."


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: As always, thanks to my beta, drakontion, and to everyone following along. Have some Haestrom.

Chapter 21

After the initial excitement of their meetings, Reegar directed his squad to take their forward positions, protecting their progress through Haestrom. While neither he nor Shepard expected any resistance, it never hurt to be prepared.

The planet had not changed since her last visit, still reeking of abandonment and neglect. Debris and ruins littered their path, and Shepard was once again reminded of the quarians' failure to suppress their own doom. It was ironic that the very creatures they created to be subservient would drive them from their homes, forcing them to become vagabonds. Interestingly enough, the geth still remained somewhat subservient, maintaining and caring for the creator worlds in preparation for their eventual return.

Shepard paused in her musings and glanced over at her crew. Tali and Hanson chatted amiably, discussing her research and the possible implications. Tali wanted to set up a series of instruments designed to gather spectrum analyses and record minute changes in the sun's radiation. Four other teams had been deployed on Haestrom hours prior, each with the same objectives: secure the area, deploy the instruments, and evade detection. Shepard and her group were the last, and had so far succeeded only in the first objective.

Alenko walked drag with Legion, the geth recording data while Alenko took in the ruined scene. She had been glad he hadn't been here when she recruited Tali, the events reminiscent of their first assignment on Eden Prime. Even the commander had been uncomfortable with the mission, reminded of her failings on that planet. She hated botched missions.

Tali studied her omni-tool and gestured to Reegar, indicating that she wanted to deploy the first set of instruments in a sheltered alcove to the right of their current position. Reegar keyed his radio, ordering his men to redeploy and maintain watch. Shepard and her team followed Tali to the alcove, idly observing as she unloaded the delicate instruments.

"Won't the sun's rays destroy them after a few hours?"

Tali shook her head at Alenko, adjusting the positioning of a compact sensor. She placed four more sensors in the alcove, each connected by a thin webbing of wires. "Not at all, Kaidan. I've modified the sensors to withstand radiation for up to six hours during the day. It should be safe in this alcove and exposed to no more than five hours of direct sunlight."

Hanson stepped forward excitedly, scanning the sensors with his omni-tool. "You modified the geth armor that was in the lab? I wondered how you were going to compensate for the shielding algorithms."

Shepard stepped away, her eyes on the perimeter. The conversation behind her didn't hold much interest, and she disliked that she only understood about half of their techno-speak. Alenko sidled up next to her, his eyes hooded by the morning shadows. Despite the recent tumult of their relationship, Shepard found his presence comforting, and they stood together in silence.

"Computational errors in quarian protocols invalid. Kinetic barrier fluctuations due to incorrect energy frequencies. Hypothesize rapid rotation of frequencies would greatly reduce possibility of sensory overload."

Legion's voice echoed through the small alcove, interrupting Hanson and Tali's debate about confounding sensor readings. They paused in their discussion, and as one, glanced at him curiously. It was Tali who spoke first.

"You suggest that we use resources we don't have to shield a series of modified sensors, already partially exposed to the sun's radiation, in order to get readings to better protect _from_ the sun's radiation?"

Legion's optics flared briefly. "That is correct."

Hanson scanned Legion with his omni-tool, curiosity getting the better of good judgment. "So why did you come along?"

"That's enough, Corporal." Alenko's voice cut through the chatter, echoing Shepard's sentiments. Hanson snapped off his 'tool as Tali stood back up, the sensors secured in place.

Shepard shot Alenko a grateful look, his dark eyes softening almost imperceptibly. "Tali, are we done here?"

She brushed the dirt from her hands and nodded. "Yes, Shepard. Let's get going."

The ground team visited thee more sites, each one littered with the debris of hundreds of years. Alien architecture dotted the landscape, the once straight and simple lines now decayed by time. Hanson gawked, wide-eyed, and absorbing the uniqueness of his surroundings like a sponge. Tali, for the most part, ignored the architecture, having had her fill of it the last time she was groundside. Legion continued to gather data, various readings from the sun's radiation and organic interactions. Shepard decided to intervene when she noticed the synthetic taking readings on her person.

"Is there something you need, Legion?" Her voice was stern with a hint of curiosity.

"Shepard-Commander. Sensors register an increase in body temperature of .04 degrees Fahrenheit. Increase correlates with proximity to Alenko-Commander. Pulmonary and respiratory fluctuations are-"

"Enough, Legion." Shepard cut him off as she turned to him, anger masking the less appealing emotions threatening to overwhelm her senses. "You are not to scan me anymore. Do you understand?"

"Understood." Its head plates fluttered briefly. "Query: are we permitted to compare Shepard-Commander's biological fluctuations with Alenko-Commander's recorded earlier today? Similar correlations-"

"No!" Shepard frowned, the frustration in her blood combining with a growing knot in her stomach. Alenko was not helping matters. He was too busy failing to suppress his laughter behind her. Tali ignored the exchange, pulling Hanson along with her, a look of bewilderment on his face.

"Understood. Program halted."

Shepard heaved an exasperated sigh. "Legion, go help Tali and Hanson set up the last batch of sensors."

"Shepard-Commander."

"Uh, Captain?" Reegar's voice sounded through her radio and Shepard welcomed the distraction.

"Go ahead, Reegar."

"It looks like we're going to have some company. Forward scouts have spotted a geth dropship ahead of us and closing fast." His voice was firm, professional.

Shepard gestured to Alenko, signaling him to ready his weapon. "Reegar, Tali and Hanson are headed in your direction. Cover them. We'll join you shortly."

"Roger that, Shepard."

The commander readied her widow, double checking the scope settings while Alenko waited with pistol in hand. Legion pulled his sniper rifle from its casing, moving toward higher ground and into position. Together, Alenko and Shepard proceeded forward and entered the small clearing just as the dropship paused overhead. Plumes of dust exploded into the air as the armatures dropped groundside, the whining of their gears audible as they uncurled.

Another loud thud hit the ground and sent debris scattering violently and Shepard heard Alenko swear under his breath. A colossus unfurled from its metallic bulk, the pulse of its energy signature echoing throughout the clearing.

Shepard keyed her radio, sliding into cover behind a ruined wall. "Reegar, I count five geth armatures and one colossus approximately fifty meters west of my position."

A burst of static filled her comm. before he answered. "I read you, Shepard. I see them." A series of beeps and pops followed before he spoke again. "Scouts report additional incoming to the south of our position. They count four more armatures and another colossus on the move."

Shepard watched the colossus belch forth a siege pulse, the burst of energy directed off to her right where Tali and Hanson took shelter. She swore and activated her radio. "Legion, focus fire on the colossus and provide covering fire for Tali and Hanson."

"Understood." Another burst of static filtered through her comm. before she heard the sharp crack of its rifle.

The commander poked her head around the corner and eyed the geth formation. The colossus was moving slowly, closing on Tali and Hanson. The five armatures surrounded it, moving faster and spraying the area with anti-personnel fire. Alenko crouched next to her, waiting calmly for her orders.

"Warp the forward armature and take down its shields on my mark. Get their attention and keep them away from our engineers."

"Yes, Commander." He cocked the hammer on his pistol. "Just like old times."

Shepard shot him a warm smile, the adrenaline and familiarity of the moment exciting and heady. She activated her cloak and shouldered her widow, adjusting the settings until the crosshairs aligned perfectly.

"Mark."

The commander watched as the forward armature's shields flared brightly then failed. Shepard squeezed the trigger, relishing the familiar pain as it exploded in her shoulder. She crouched back down and reloaded as Alenko ducked back into cover. The staccato beat of geth gunfire changed, and then surged anew, pounding against their cover as the wall vibrated from the onslaught.

Shepard heard an explosion in the field as one of the armatures went down. "Enemy hostile eliminated." A string of beeps filled her radio as Legion continued to fire on the colossus.

Her vision distorted briefly as Shepard activated her cloak once more. She sighted through her scope and fired on the colossus, its attention now focused in their direction. The thunder of her shot echoed through the clearing and ended with a satisfying bang akin to the ringing of a giant gong. The colossus stumbled, but regained its footing, once again spewing forth an enormous mass of energy.

The commander ducked down into cover again, Alenko crouching low beside her. She scanned the area, noting alternative points of cover. They were going to have to split up to be more effective. Alenko followed her gaze and nodded.

"I'll head to that ruined outcropping over there." He checked his ammo count and slammed in another clip. "Cover me."

Shepard set her widow down and pulled out her cannon, a wry smile on her face. "Since when do you get to give me orders?"

His bark of laughter was cut short by the impact of another siege pulse. The colossus was closing and they needed to move fast. Shepard nodded and they popped out of cover suddenly, spraying the geth with a heavy barrage of firepower. A pulse of light flitted through the clearing as Hanson threw and incineration blast. Another eruption of light blinded Shepard momentarily as Tali's drone exploded amidst the geth formation. Alenko took advantage of the distraction and double-timed it to the outcropping on her right.

Shepard continued to fire, the heavy rounds of her cannon turning the colossus' armor into a pockmarked shell, but still it continued to close. She slammed her back against the wall, returning to cover just as it unleashed another pulse. Holstering her cannon, Shepard reached for her widow. Noting that Alenko was safe in cover, she activated her cloak and dashed toward the ruins of a building a few yards back and to her left.

The roar of another siege pulse, followed immediately by third one, echoed through the clearing, the impact destroying the wall that had been her cover. The force of the blast knocked her to the ground, debris raining down on her cloaked form. Shepard barely heard Alenko cry out above the gunfire, and saw a burst of light detonate not five feet from her.

Shepard scrambled into cover just as her cloak dissipated. Alenko's overload had damaged the armature just as it broke through their lines, it cannon useless for the time being. Alenko and Legion showered it with armor-piercing rounds, Shepard terminating the platform with a shot to the 'head.'

The commander scanned the field of engagement, noting the persistent presence of the colossus and three of the armatures. She frowned and keyed her radio. "Reegar, give me a sit-rep."

The percussive sound of gunfire surged through the comm. and Shepard suppressed a wince as she turned down the volume. "Little busy here, Shepard. We've still got two armatures closing on our position as well as a colossus. Damn thing just won't go down. If this keeps up, we'll have to fall back and join with Tali and Hanson."

"Negative, Reegar. We've still got our own problems over here and there's no way I'm letting those geth sync up. Maintain position."

"Roger that," he rumbled.

Shepard snarled in anger as a string of gunfire was aimed in her direction, the high-pitched _zing_ of a ricochet clattering off the wall. Checking her scanner she noted the positions of the remaining geth.

"Alenko, Legion – concentrate fire on the colossus. Tali and Hanson - dump everything you've got on the armature closing on your position."

Their acknowledgments filtered through the radio accompanied by a burst of static. Shepard activated her cloak, taking aim at the approaching colossus. The light of its main gun crested the rise and Shepard fired, ignoring the kickback of her rifle as her adrenaline surged. Legion fired almost simultaneously, the discharge from his rifle lighting up the colossus. Alenko threw another warp field, distorting its protective armament before pelting it once more with ammo.

Shepard crouched behind the wall, reloading quickly and popping out of cover to take aim. She watched as the colossus turned toward Alenko's position, shuddering as it primed its main gun. The commander took aim and fired, a wave of relief washing over her as the hulking metal beast crumpled to the ground. Legion took another shot, eliminating the possibility of a repair protocol.

Another explosion rocked the field and Shepard moved forward and into cover. From this vantage she was able to see one remaining armature closing fast on Tali and Hanson's position. She gestured to Alenko and Legion, both of whom opened fire immediately. Shepard targeted the armament's main gun and fired, her cool composure masking the surge of adrenaline pumping through her veins. It crumpled, just as the colossus had, twitching violently as Tali shot it once more.

She glanced up at Shepard's position and keyed her radio. "All clear, Shepard."

"Tali, get those sensors up and running so we can get the hell out of here. Legion, stay with Tali and Hanson. Alenko, you're with me." The commander barked the orders as she rushed across the field, Alenko barely struggling to keep up.

"Shepard?" Reegar's voice sounded thin through her earpiece, the crackle of gunfire even louder than before. "We could really use some backup."

"We're on our way. Maintain position until we get there."

Alenko and Shepard scurried through the quarian ruins, hurdling over debris and skirting sunlight and barely concealed pitfalls. She could hear the barrage of firepower even before she arrived, but felt the siege pulse as it impacted the ruin next to them. Alenko dashed forward, pulling Shepard with him into cover as a hail of gunfire whizzed overhead. They crashed to the ground, rolling awkwardly in a tangle of limbs. If not for the presence of walking death, Shepard might have grown upset with the situation.

Alenko held her down, sticking his head out of cover to survey their surroundings. Shepard ignored the feel of his weight on her body, the strength of his arms, doing her best to concentrate on the battle at hand. He shifted slightly to get a better view and the commander shoved away the building desire in her veins. Now was not the time for fuzzy feelings.

He ducked his head down suddenly as their slim bit of cover was showered with gunfire. Alenko's face was so close to her own that she could feel the heat of his breath. He shot her a brief look of surprise, followed by a knowing smile, and Shepard mentally berated herself. She waited until the gunfire died down and pushed him off of her, rolling carefully to the side.

Checking her scanner she moved into a crouch, Alenko shifting beside her. His smile was gone, replaced with his usual battlefield composure. He activated his omni-tool and threw an electronic pulse toward the approaching armature, overloading its weaponry. Nearby marines opened fire, tagging it with whatever they had left. Shepard took aim once more, aligning the crosshairs in her scope and fired. The impact of the shot knocked the armature back two paces, and Shepard quickly reloaded. She sighted again and fired, watching with satisfaction as the marines finished the job.

Shepard chambered another round and readied her widow. She checked her scanner and noted one hostile presence left. She gestured to Alenko who scurried out of cover, moving into a support position. Shepard skittered to her left, maneuvering around a ruined half wall. She activated her cloak and turned the corner, the colossus closer than she had realized.

She aimed for its main gun, sparkling brightly as Alenko threw a warp at it. The commander fired once, quickly returning to cover and hoping to avoid the incoming fire. The strength of the pulse rocked the walls and rattled her teeth. She checked the strength of her shields and switched to her cannon, the colossus too close for the widow.

"Shepard, get out of there." Reegar's rough voice blared through her earpiece. "You're too close!"

The commander swore again, ignoring the violent trembling of the ruined wall and checked her cloak. It was only half charged. Crouching low she fell back, scooting unceremoniously to more protective cover. The marines directed a hail of gunfire at the colossus, their bullets whizzing directly overhead. Shepard crawled on her belly, eager to avoid crossfire, and rolled into cover behind the remains of some form of ancient equipment.

She felt the thud of an impact against the defunct machine, and returned fire, the colossus barely affected by small arms. Alenko let loose with an electronic pulse, overloading the geth's weapons. Another barrage of gunfire assaulted the colossus, and Shepard ignored the warning bells in her head. She quickly reloaded, and then promptly emptied the clip into the nearby synthetic. It shuddered violently, the mass of metallic gears and servos finally falling to the marines' onslaught. The colossus slumped to the ground, a bulky metal mess, the light of its main gun slowly fading. Shepard stepped out of cover and fired one more round in its 'head.'

"Hell of a thing, Shepard." Reegar approached on her right, trudging through the debris. Alenko followed almost casually behind him.

"What's your status, Reegar?"

The quarian slung his rifle over his shoulder and activated his omni-tool. "I've got at least six marines down, three of which won't be getting back up."

Shepard nodded and holstered her cannon. She was unfazed by the news as was Alenko. "Tali, give me a status report."

Her voice sounded tinny and hollow on the comm. "Almost done here, Shepard. Five more minutes should do it."

Shepard nodded again and adjusted radio frequencies. "Joker, do you read?" A garbled message was his response and Shepard tried again.

"Normandy….-epard. We're getting…..-ference. Do…-eed aid?"

"We're ready for pickup, Joker. Send the shuttle at the predetermined coordinates."

Static filled her earpiece followed by a loud pop. "Shu-…is en …-te. E…ten min-…."

"Roger that Normandy. We'll be ready." Shepard reset the settings on her radio once again and glanced back at Reegar. "Where's your ride?"


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: Bioware owns just about everything.

A/N: Thanks to everyone following along. As always, feel free to post your thoughts if you want.

Chapter 22

Shepard watched as the quarian medic treated the injured aboard the shuttle. Reegar and his team had joined her on their return trip to the Normandy, the quarians unable to make contact with their ship. It was only a slight inconvenience, and while the shuttle was large enough to carry their number with some imaginative adjustments, the cabin quickly became very cramped. They had to stand the dead on their feet in order to transport Reegar's entire squad, the shuttle loaded over capacity. To anyone else the sight would have undoubtedly been disconcerting. Shepard, however, struggled to contain her amusement at the absurdity of the situation, a dead quarian bobbing against her armored body.

She turned to Alenko, the cramped confines of the shuttle forcing his armored body against hers. He shot her a sympathetic look, which then turned to confusion as he recognized the mirth in her eyes. His face darkened and he turned from her, obviously irritated by her reaction to the situation. A flash of guilt surged through her body and then evaporated just as quickly as the ship jounced roughly, the dead quarian bobbing again. She had to find humor in the situation, lest the reality sicken her.

Shepard felt of the hum of the maneuvering thrusters activate beneath her feet, a slight tickling in her toes. The shuttle touched down in the hanger and waited for pressurization. Her ears popped as the doors opened and Alenko hopped out, assisting Tali and Hanson as well. He turned to Shepard, his face still dark, and extended his hand in assistance. Shepard ignored him, disembarking from the shuttle on her own and carrying the body of the quarian with her. She laid it out respectfully, straightening the limbs and smoothing the wrinkles on the suit. Reegar nodded to her as he exited the shuttle and the commander departed without a second thought, Alenko's gaze following after her.

Tali joined her in the mess after treating their injured and securing the dead. She pulled out a packet of what looked like blue gel, attaching it the feeding tube on her suit. Her opaque mask turned Shepard's way.

Shepard paused in her meal, setting her fork down and focusing on the woman sitting in front of her. "Something you need, Tali?"

She leaned back in the chair and allowed her body to relax, her head slumping forward slightly. "Is it always like this, Shepard? Do we repeat the same thing over and over again until we're all dead?"

The commander snorted, her earlier dark humor gone as reality had once more set in. "Something like that."

Shepard could discern the frown in Tali's voice. "You're on the cheerful side today."

The commander ignored her comment and resumed her meal. She was starving and wanted to eat something before they were scheduled to rendezvous with the quarian scout ship inside of five hours.

Tali fiddled with the gel pack on her lap. "Are we doing the right thing, Shepard?"

Shepard contemplated an answer as she finished her tray of leftover lasagna and imitation garlic bread. She had stopped asking herself that question a long time ago.

"What does your gut say, Tali?"

She switched the focus of her attention, apparently finding the frayed edges of her head cover more interesting. "My gut?"

Shepard sighed heavily, and released her grip on her fork. It clattered loudly against the tray as she sat back in her seat. The commander fixed Tali with a hard stare. She had no desire to play nursemaid or provide false encouragement. That was Ms. Chamber's job.

"If you've got something to say, I suggest you say it. Otherwise you're wasting my time."

Tali glanced up at the tone in her voice, idle fidgeting halted. "My gut says we did the right thing."

Shepard ignored the flare of irritation in her bones, and shrugged nonchalantly. "There you go."

"So why am I so angry, Shepard?"

"I don't know, Tali." The commander picked at the crumbs on her tray. "Why _are_ you so angry?"

"We lost men. Again." She adjusted the seal on her gel pack. "I ordered them to their deaths."

Shepard stood, put off by the topic of conversation and unwilling to continue. "Marines die, Tali. It's a part of war. Your ambivalence demeans their sacrifice."

She saw the woman's body slump even further into the chair, the blue gel almost drained. She had seen that reaction from officers before; the inexperienced few who had lost a man during their first command. Shepard had grown immune to the loss after a time, accepting casualties as a part of the job. She felt no sympathy for the quarian.

O o O o O o O

"Hanson, you're sure the new shielding frequencies will hold?" She shot him a stern look as he adjusted the fit of his helmet.

The radio crackled with static as the corporal answered. "Yes, Commander, but I don't recommend unnecessary risk to test it out."

"Agreed." Shepard checked the settings of her environmental controls, readying herself for the withering heat of the planet. "So we have only fifteen minutes to set the sensors up and get the hell out of there."

"Correct."

The commander glanced around the cabin at her assembled crew, quarian marines included. "Everyone understand that? Get to your positions, cover Tali, and return to the shuttle double-time."

A murmur of acknowledgments filtered through her comm. and she turned to Tali. "If those sensors aren't in place in the allotted time, you're going to have to make do with what you've got."

"I understand, Shepard."

The commander waited impatiently as the maneuvering thrusters activated, the shuttle jostling roughly in the turbulence. Shepard found that she was somewhat excited to land on this planet, although the thought of being cooked alive and then crushed was rather disconcerting. The plan was to go groundside during the night in order to bolster the success of their mission, planting the sensors in five different locations as they had on Haestrom. The only difference was that Haestrom was relatively habitable. Gotha, with its pressure cooker atmosphere and scorching heat, was a whole new level of complexity.

Hanson had adjusted the frequency of the shuttle's shields, dramatically increasing their chances of survival if they happen to get caught in the sun while leaving the planet. The mission had been timed to coincide with dawn, lessening the chance that Tali's sensors would be crushed prematurely by the planetary pressure. They had fifteen minutes at each location in which to complete their mission before the heat and pressure overloaded their environmental systems.

Shepard took her last breath of cool air as she unbuckled her harness. The shuttle doors opened, the blast of heat hitting them like a wave of fire, and she felt beads of sweat form on her forehead. Shepard stepped out, struggling to maintain her balance in the raging winds and motioned to her team. Reegar followed, barking orders to his squad, standing rock solid amidst the maelstrom. The commander couldn't help but admire his poise.

"Alenko," she pointed to her left. "Stay here with the shuttle."

A burst of static was his response, but she saw him nod exaggeratedly. He readied his pistol and conferred with the other two quarians at his position. Shepard glanced at him once more before she turned and shuffled to a shallow rise where Hanson and Tali crouched. Reegar struggled against the planet's pressure ahead of her, ordering his marines into a defensive posture.

Sweat trickled down her nose, the heat of the planet already seeping in to her bones, and she scanned the horizon. Heavy winds buffeted the barren plains, the landscape ragged and scorched from the sun's beating, her view warped by the rising heat. Apparently, this planet was not as interesting as she had hoped.

"Ten minutes," she cried into the radio, her warning acknowledge by a grunt from Hanson. The gage on her suit was steadily rising, although it hadn't hit the red yet.

She moved closer to the duo, still crouched low and trying to shelter the sensors from the high winds. Hanson worked to plant some sort of protective device around the area, moving slowly as he fought against the pressure, seemingly worried that the instruments would be blown away. Tali worked to unpack a series of long metal rods, and then pushed them firmly into the ground, attaching the sensors in a tight grouping.

"I think we're good here, Shepard." Tali stood with effort, surveying her work while Hanson still tried to secure the protective device. She put a hand on his shoulder and gently nudged him. "We don't have time. Let's go."

Shepard fought to remain upright, and motioned for them to hurry, her gage continuing to rise. Hanson and Tali slogged back to the shuttle, followed by Reegar and his marines. The group loaded once more onto the shuttle, the heat coming off their bodies in waves as the doors closed.

"One down," Shepard quipped as the shuttle took off. She sat down roughly, ignoring her seat's harness for the time being. "Will it hold, Tali?"

The quarian in front of her nodded slowly and sifted through the readings on her omni-tool. "I should only get approximately three hours worth of data at most, due to the planet's atmosphere and proximity to Dholen. With the additional sensors, it will be enough for comparison."

"I certainly hope so."

The mission continued apace with few problems and Tali was able to deploy her instruments at strategic points. The heat had been tolerable, as Tali and Hanson worked quickly together, never taking longer than ten standard minutes to put everything in order. The pressure and wind, however, slowed the team down considerably, sapping strength and pummeling the group. Shepard decided that she would be _very_ glad when this mission was over, perfectly content never to visit Gotha again.

The shuttle touched down at their last scheduled coordinates, shuddering in the wind. Shepard stepped out again, her face coated with sweat and trickling down between her shoulder blades. The pressure pushed her toward the ground and she struggled to remain upright, feeling as if her bones were grinding against the force. She had never looked forward to a cold shower more than she did at that moment.

Tali and Hanson climbed out of the cabin, Tali's omni-tool aglow as she located her position. Alenko stood next to Shepard, struggling to maintain his balance as Tali motioned them both to follow her. The commander fought for footing as she crossed the sandy plains, the dusty air clogging her filters. Shepard huffed irritably at the thought of cleaning the damn things, and briefly contemplated simply replacing them.

The commander paused on top of the rise, ignoring the force of the wind as she took in the distorted sight in front of her. Hanson and Tali crouched next to an ancient piece of machinery, scorched and crumpled from the passage of time and pressure. Shepard sidled up next to her as a trio of marines trudged by, taking up point per Reegar's orders. Another group was deployed by the shuttle, maintaining perimeter security and guarding their exit off this hellhole.

"What is this?" Shepard ran her hand along the metallic frame, polished smooth by the sand.

Tali unloaded the metal rods, securing them into position. "It's one of our old mining drones, from when we first fled the homeworld." She went about her routine of setting up the sensors.

"It's been here for over three hundred years?" Alenko asked, impressed.

"Yes. We build our machines to last."

The irony of Tali's statement was not lost on the commander, and she surveyed the wreckage. A cluster of inoperative machinery stood half-buried in the gritty sand, the mechanical arms twisted and malformed from centuries of exposure and volatile planetary conditions. Shepard wandered through the mechanical graveyard, the remnants of the drone reminiscent of the abstract headstones once popular back on Earth.

"Captain, we've got a disturbance on the scanners approximately thirty meters ahead of our position."

Shepard frowned, the sweat dripping down her brow. She checked her suit's gage, still in the green for now. "Verify 'disturbance,' Reegar."

"It reads as organic, Shepard, but we're having a hard time pinpointing the exact location. You want us to go check it out?"

The commander glanced back at Tali, completing her assembly of the sensors. "Negative, Reegar. It looks like we're almost done here. Hang tight, we'll be regrouping at the shuttle shortly."

"Roger that."

Shepard watched as Tali stood slowly, her omni-tool glowing softly as she took readings from the drone. Hanson continued to meddle with the rods, perfecting their placement and fighting against the wind.

"This is amazing, Shepard." Her voice was filled with wonder as she explored the remains. "I had never thought to see an actual Boro II drone. I wonder what materials they used."

The commander glanced down at her gage again. "We've got seven minutes before we're in the red, Tali. That means you've got five."

"I got it, Shepard." She gesture to the corporal emphatically. "Hanson, help me get a sample. I want to compare it to the readings obtained on Haestrom."

Hanson grunted as he stood, his balance thrown off momentarily by the high winds.

"Uh, Shepard? That disturbance I mentioned is moving toward our position." Shepard heard the slight hitch in Reegar's otherwise controlled voice.

"Four minutes, Tali. Alenko, assist her." Shepard added the last as an afterthought as she hurried to Reegar's position, the wind and pressure slowing her progress. She crouched down next to him, bones creaking with effort, and eyed his scanner. "What _is_ that?"

Reegar shook his helmeted head, dusty and scratched from the wind and grit. "I don't know, but it's got one hell of a heat signature."

"Reegar," Shepard sniffed. "This whole place is one big heat signature."

The quarian jerked his head toward the horizon. "Then tell me what that is?"

Shepard followed his gaze, squinting against dust storm and barely able to make out a figure moving toward them, distorted from waves of heat. She glanced back down at the scanner, noting its position as a look of confusion crossed her face. The scanner now showed two disturbances on the horizon and closing fast.

"Reegar, ready your team. We've got incoming."

He shouldered his rifle, and bunkered down just behind the rise, taking aim at the approaching anomalies and struggling to keep his rifle on target. "How many we got?"

Shepard shook her head, following suit, the sand shifting beneath her weight as she pulled out her widow. "Tali, get a move on. We've got company."

"Almost done, Shepard."

The commander could hear the impatience in her voice, but ignored it for the time being, focusing instead on the potential hostiles. "Shuttle, check your scanners. We've got incoming at 0.58 mark 1.3."

"Roger that, Commander. Quarian guard has been notified. Pickup in approximately five minutes."

Shepard watched the figures move closer, seemingly slow at first amidst the maelstrom of gusting wind, but the amount of distance closed in such a short time frame suggested otherwise. She sighted down her scope, adjusting the focus slightly, shock flooding her face at the figures creeping toward them.

"Son of a bitch," she hissed.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Thanks to drakontion for her input on this chapter, and to the readers for following along. I decided to post early since this was a shorter chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 23

Shepard adjusted the settings on her scope once more, increasing the focus. Two geth destroyers were plodding through the sandstorm toward their position, armed and ready for an assault. The commander swore under her breath, the sweat pouring off her brow as the pressure squeezed her armored body.

"Reegar, we've got two destroyers incoming." He shifted next to her, barking orders to his squad. Shepard checked the gage on her suit and radioed her engineer. "Tali, are you about done?"

"Almost, Shepard. I need more time."

She swore again, her voice clipped. "We don't have more time. Finish up or leave it behind."

Reegar shuffled beside her, the muzzle of his rifle skimming the top of the rise. Shepard sighted down her scope once more. The destroyers had closed the distance rapidly, and the commander fingered the trigger.

"No one shoots until I do."

"Roger, ma'am." A burst of static filled her earpiece as Reegar relayed the order to his men.

Shepard watched as the geth drew closer, aligning the crosshairs and compensating for wind resistance, the gravity pulling at her rifle. She exhaled slowly, focused her concentration and fired. The shot cracked loudly through the atmosphere, instantly swallowed by the raging tempest. The familiar pain exploded in her shoulder, already heavy from the planetary pressure. Shepard quickly reloaded as the quarians opened fire, the gusting winds dampening the potency of their onslaught.

The commander sighted again, noting the red-hot metal covering the geth's frame. She squeezed the trigger again, watching the forward destroyer stumble.

"Concentrate fire!" Reegar bellowed through the comm. followed immediately by Tali's voice.

"All done, Commander. We're heading back to the shuttle now."

Shepard checked the gage on her suit, noting the levels were nearing the red. She reloaded again, shifting awkwardly against the sandy rise. The noise of the quarians' gunfire continued, broken occasionally by the howls of the wind. She aligned her scope once more, sweat pouring down her face, and aimed for the remaining destroyer. It struggled under the force of the wind and the quarian defense, but still it continued forward. Shepard pulled the trigger, severely hampering its momentum.

"Reeger, get your squad to the boat!"

He turned his helmeted head toward the commander as he paused to reload, considering her under an opaque mask. "What about you?"

"I'll cover you."

He watched her a moment longer before following her order, his men struggling out of cover and across the plains. Shepard readied her rifle again, pulling it against her shoulder as she prepared to fire. She ignored the wind and heat, the crushing pressure, the sticky perspiration on her body, and focused instead on her aim. The second destroyer was moving slower now, veering left to intercept the quarian squad as they made for the shuttle. The commander exhaled slowly once more, squeezing the trigger and watching as the geth fell to the ground.

Reeger was gone from her side, plowing across the desolate wasteland toward the shuttle. Shepard loaded another round, ignoring the pain cascading down her shoulder and into her arm. An old-fashioned ice-pack would be welcome after this stunt. The commander sighted again, searching the dusty plains for her target. The destroyer struggled to stand upright, its armor irreparably damaged. Shepard fired once more, putting it down for good.

She clambered to her feet, stumbling raggedly toward the shuttle and checked her suit's readout. The gage was bordering on the red, and Shepard increased her pace, struggling awkwardly against the buffeting winds and shifting sands. The glow of the thrusters caught her attention, the shuttle hovering slightly off the ground. Alenko stood in the doorway, arm extended to assist. She grabbed it without hesitation as he pulled her unceremoniously into the cabin.

The doors closed just as the force of the wind knocked the shuttle back and Shepard was thrown against Alenko, his dusty armor clanking loudly against hers. She looked up tiredly and met his eyes under a dirty helmet, a crooked grin on his face. Shepard sighed in resignation as she righted herself only to be thrown back against him as the shuttle bounced wildly.

"Perhaps we should strap in, Commander."

A myriad of thoughts raced through her mind as Alenko's suggestion echoed in her earpiece. She shot him a look of surprise, quickly recovering her senses and simply nodding. He released his grip on her as she stumbled to a seat, wrestling with the harness as if she was wont to rip it from the cabin walls. Alenko took his seat across from her, the same crooked grin on his face as he buckled his own harness.

_Cheeky bastard_.

O o O o O o O

While a cold shower had sounded marvelous on Gotha, Shepard had cooled off by the time the shuttle had landed. After cleaning her armor and stowing her gear, a hot soak in a large tub sounded ideal. However, since the Normandy was not equipped with such a device, she allowed herself the luxury of a long, hot shower. Scrubbing the grime from her body had rarely felt so good.

Tossing her towel aside, she checked the messages on her terminal, her cabin only dimly lit by the glow of the empty aquarium. Tali confirmed the success of the mission and was now en route to the flotilla, data in hand. She had forwarded some of her preliminary results, suggesting Shepard discuss it further with Hanson. She had also sent additional intelligence. Curious, Shepard opened the file.

_Shepard: I found this in our archives._

_Seven years ago, one of our scout ships went missing while surveying part of an asteroid belt in the Relic system. The fleet had since given up the search, but I uncovered their last transmissions, sent just before we lost contact. Apparently, the crew decided to investigate the source of a beacon, and upon closer inspection, it looked like a signal locked out their ship's controls. The last transmission indicated that they were somehow drawn into the planet. Once they entered the exosphere, all communications were lost. I suspect they might have been victims of a virus similar to that "shielding program" you told me about. With your recent AI problems, I thought you might find this interesting._

_Tali_

Shepard frowned in thought, mulling over the potential benefits of slightly diverting their mission. She pulled on a t-shirt and standard issue military briefs, the heat of the shower fading from her body, and accessed her records. She would need to divert from the outer rim and the slavers, seriously altering their course if she wanted to investigate Tali's intelligence. Shepard attempted to pull up Liara's data and frowned again.

The terminal blinked and then went blank. The commander took a deep breath, pushing the frustration from her body and tried again. Punching in her code, she tried to access the files once more with the same result.

"EDI?" Shepard crossed into her living quarters and threw on a pair of pants. "Where are the files on the batarians that Liara sent me?"

The ship's avatar materialized by the aquarium. "I have no records of such files, Commander."

Her frown deepened and she pulled on her boots with vigor. "I just read them before we landed on Haestrom."

Her synthesized vocals remained calm and oblivious. "I have no such record of any files sent from Liara T'Soni within the last three weeks."

"You've got to be kidding me," Shepard grumbled as she stomped up the stairs to her terminal.

"That is not a joke, Commander."

"Well get her on the horn for me." She tried to access the files again with no luck, her body tightening with anger.

"I am unable to contact Dr. T'Soni at this time. She has disabled the connection."

Shepard swore foully, remembering that Liara had cut communications due to a security breach. The commander quickly strode out of her cabin and into the elevator, punching the button for the CIC. She'd had enough of these computer glitches and was interested to see what Hanson's take on it was.

Pieces of Gotha's mining drone littered the laboratory's main table; Hanson was stooped over it and studying intently, the fishbowl goggles on his face. He glanced up at her approach, his smile of greeting sagging as he noticed her expression. "Commander?"

"What can you tell me about EDI's malfunctions," she stated bluntly without any sort of preamble.

"Malfunctions, ma'am?"

She sighed irritably. "I'm sure Alenko briefed you on the malfunctions caused when Young hacked EDI's systems. Miranda and Legion told me they solved the problem, but apparently they were incorrect."

Hanson nodded slowly, moving his goggles onto his forehead. "He did, yes…"

Shepard pointed to him, forcefully prodding his chest. "You're the AI expert. What's going on with EDI's malfunctions?"

"Nothing." He set down a piece of debris he'd been examining. "I haven't heard of any recent malfunctions."

Her frown grew darker. "Then why can't I access my files from Liara?"

A look of genuine confusion crossed his face. "I don't know, ma'am. Did you accidentally delete them?"

She shot him a condescending look and he almost cringed. "According to EDI, the files don't exist and I haven't received any intelligence from Liara in the past three weeks. Explain that one to me?"

Hanson shook his head stupidly, the look of confusion still on his face. "I can't."

Shepard could have throttled him, the frustration boiling in her blood and threatening to overflow. She gripped the edges of the table, controlling her anger even as her knuckles whitened. Her voice was low, menacing. "Then tell me what you _can_ do."

The corporal nodded slowly, his mind working. "Come here." He gestured to his terminal and Shepard followed, infuriated. "Log in and show me what you did."

Shepard raised an eyebrow but complied. She repeated the same pattern that she had in her cabin with the same exact results. Fighting the anger inside, she turned to Hanson as composedly as possible and shot him a questioning look. Hanson leaned over her and punched in a sequence of commands with no result. He frowned.

"Curious."

She looked at the corporal. "What is?"

He punched in another sequence only to frown again. "There's not even a shadow of the data left. Normally there would be some sort of imprint if your files had been deleted, but there's nothing."

"Hanson, I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to tech. I know this. There's no data, there's no shadow, there's not even a record of my chat with Liara. EDI's blind on this one."

Hanson nodded, the frown on his face slowly dissolving as his thoughts raced. "Give me some time and I'll run a few diagnostics."

Shepard stepped away from the terminal and popped her neck roughly. "Fine."

He shot her a brilliant smile, at odds with his mood a moment ago. "So you want to see what I found?"

The commander sighed again, not sure if she wanted to learn about ancient quarian mining debris, but Hanson's enthusiasm was infectious. She threw up her hands in surrender. "Fine."

If possible, the corporal's smile widened and he directed her over to the table. "Apparently, there was little discrepancy between the wreckage on Haestrom and the debris on Gotha. The only difference was due Gotha's atmospheric pressure and frequent storms. Contrary to Tali's original hypothesis, the sun's radiation affected both planets in a similar manner, with only slight elevations on Gotha due to its proximity to Dohlen."

"So what does this mean for us?"

Hanson adjusted the goggles on his head, positioning them once more over his eyes. "It means if we ever need to go back to Gotha, all we really need to worry about is the weather."

"Comforting." Shepard grumbled. "Carry on, Corporal."

He shot her another brilliant smile before plunging back into his research. Shepard left him alone and headed to the helm to inform Joker of their new coordinates. If Tali thought that Shepard would find her tidbit of information interesting, then she was indeed correct.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: Bioware owns almost all.

A/N: Another short chapter posted early because Autumn is moving and Tiy thought 2 chapters in one weekend was good. I wanted to do better. Enjoy!

Chapter 24

Preying Mouth was a beautiful planet. Swirling hues of amethyst entwined with crimson ribbons, rotating slowly amidst ethereal rings. Shepard lamented the fact that its beauty was marred by its reputation, known only as a ship killing enigma. Scans were unable to penetrate the planet's outer atmosphere and no vessel would risk getting close enough to try. Until now.

The commander watched through the observation port as they approached, Joker slowing the Normandy and maintaining a minimum safe distance. He had concocted a few ideas to safely investigate the planet's mysteries, starting off by launching a series of probes. Failing that, Legion had agreed to remote pilot the shuttle into the exosphere, sending live feedback to the Normandy via his systems.

Joker's fingers flew across the console as he worked, glancing up briefly at Shepard. She nodded succinctly and he punched in a sequence of commands.

"Probes away."

EDI's voice was soft amidst the hum of energy in the cockpit and Shepard watched as the string of small metal objects wormed their way into the planet's gravitational fields. The running data stream continued scrolling down the terminal display with minimal readings from the probes. The commander waited patiently, but had suspected their first attempt would provide little information. She glanced down to Joker who launched another series of probes.

"Probes launched."

Shepard ignored the blue ball of light floating delicately over the console, its glow throwing sublime shadows across the helm. The stream of data had not changed, the probes' sensors too weak to penetrate Preying Mouth's outer atmosphere. The commander glanced down at Joker, an expression of determination on her face.

"Launch the shuttle."

"Aye, aye, Commander. Clearing the cargo bay now."

Shepard gestured to the geth beside her. "Legion, take the number two chair and plug in."

Its head plates flared rapidly. "We do not need to 'plug in.' This platform can remote access the shuttle's piloting controls without a physical connection."

The commander kept her face neutral, choosing instead to refrain from any explanation. Alenko stood next to her, observing the goings on, but content to stay quiet for the time being. Shepard watched as Legion established a connection with the shuttle, optics flaring slightly as he erected firewalls against infection.

"Shuttle departure commencing. Will enter planetary exosphere in 5.67 standard minutes."

Shepard eyed the display as the information continued to scroll, a slight increase in the amount of data from the shuttle's more powerful sensors. The readings were similar to those received by the probes until the shuttle crossed the inner rings. The commander blinked as she saw the feed multiply in size, scrolling by at a pace faster than she could follow.

Legion's voice broke the silence in the helm. "Data feed in progress. Electronic signature detected. Firewalls holding."

"EDI, are you reading this?" She glanced back at the hovering ball of light.

"Negative, Commander. You made sure to disconnect my primary sensors when we approached minimum safe distance. My firewalls have not been breached and I am unable to detect the data stream. Legion's systems are not accessible by my own at present."

Shepard nodded, satisfied that EDI was safe for the moment. She glanced over at Legion, the inert form masking the multitude of programs actively processing within. The synthetic continued to forward data from the shuttle until it reached the exosphere, and then the feed stopped.

"Error." Legion's optics narrowed. "Data feed interrupted. Re-routing."

The display blinked briefly as the stream continued, the slight hiccup barely noticeable. Alenko stood still, concern etching his brow as Legion's optics flared again.

"Re-routing. Firewalls holding. Continuing on course."

The shuttle slowed slightly and then veered left, away from the predetermined coordinates. Shepard watched as it continued to enter the exosphere, the data feed occasionally interrupted.

"Legion, you're off course. Return to heading 2.001." Joker adjusted the display, entering the course correction on the terminal.

"Maintaining designated heading." Legion's form remained still, and Shepard frowned as the shuttle continued to veer off course.

"Legion," Shepard barked. "Return to heading 2.001."

"Acknowledged Shepard-Commander. Course correction invalid. Continuing on mark 2.001."

Shepard looked down and met Joker's gaze. "We've got a problem."

He quirked his mouth in a sardonic grin. "You think?"

She shot him her best Commander glare. "Fix it. Now."

Joker shifted slightly in the pilot's seat, his fingers flying over the controls. "EDI? How are your firewalls holding up?"

"Firewalls are at maximum capacity, Jeff. Do you plan to manually override?"

"You know it. Set up a partition." Joker leaned over the terminal and accessed the manual controls. The console lit up like an emergency beacon, lights flashing ominously.

Shepard cocked an eyebrow. "Joker?"

"Let me handle this, Shepard. I know what I'm doing."

The commander shot him another of her looks as Alenko cocked his head to the side. "Well, you did order him to fix it."

She turned to him, a hint of humor in her voice. "Stow it, Alenko."

Shepard studied the readout as the UT-47 plummeted further into the planet's atmosphere, the interference in the data feed growing more frequent. Joker regulated the commands on the terminal, working furiously to wrest control of the shuttle, and swearing loudly as he continued apace. Alenko stood back, watching, eyes alight with curiosity and fascination, while Shepard wore her trademark frown. She did not like how this project was progressing.

"Get over here you flying rat trap," Joker muttered, an orange light flashing brightly to his left. He punched the switch underneath, jabbing it with his thumb, while his eyes remained on the display.

The lights of the shuttle flashed in the distance, barely noticeable to those who weren't looking directly at it. Legion remained unmoving, still connected to the shuttle's controls, its optics occasionally flickering dully. Joker input in a series of commands, wrenching the shuttle back under control, his frustration electrifying the atmosphere in the cockpit. Slowly, the UT-47 began to turn.

Legion jerked, jostling wildly in the chair, its connection the shuttle disrupted. The geth's optics flared brightly as its head plates fluttered, the spasms coinciding with the interruptions in the data stream. Alenko knelt down next to Legion, omni-tool aglow as he scanned it.

"It looks like some of Legion's firewalls are still active, but not all."

"Is there a way to shut it down?" Shepard asked. "Disconnect it from the shuttle's controls?"

"No need, Commander." Joker interjected. "I've already got control and locked out the shuttle's VI. We've got her."

Shepard wouldn't have believed it if it wasn't Joker at the helm. While remote manual control seemed like an oxymoron, it was also damn near impossible, especially in atmosphere. Somehow, the link Joker had established was not susceptible to whatever affected the shuttle's controls. She glanced out the observation port and watched as the light of the shuttle's maneuvering thrusters grew brighter on approach.

"Opening cargo bay doors," Joker intoned.

The commander glanced back down at Legion, contemplating security concerns. "Alenko, we should take it to the lab, let Hanson have a look at it. Maybe he can work out what just happened."

He nodded. "Agreed."

Shepard leaned down and pulled Legion up, hefting the geth's weight over her shoulder as Alenko assisted, the synthetic's legs dragging on the floor between them.

"Good work, Joker." Shepard gestured awkwardly in his direction.

"Told you I'm the best pilot you're ever gonna find, Shepard."

She snorted. "So you keep telling me."

O o O o O o O

Shepard looked at the body of the geth that lay on the laboratory floor. Alenko stood beside her as they watched Hanson examine Legion. He had been quite surprised when they brought it in, but jumped at the opportunity to work on a geth. He had eagerly gathered a handful of instruments, each more bizarre looking than the next, and proceeded to give Legion an impromptu physical examination.

The geth's optics still flared occasionally, but otherwise it remained still. Hanson crouched next to it, the yellow glow of his omni-tool reflecting off Legion's patchwork N7 armor. It still hadn't fully explained why it had used her armor to patch the hole. Shepard had given up on an explanation long ago, chalking it up to either poor planning or dumb luck.

"The systems seem intact, Commander." Hanson plopped down on the ground as he turned Legion's optical port back and forth. "It appears the geth's primary systems were interrupted when Joker took back control of the shuttle. I'm guessing Legion shut down for maintenance purposes and should reactivate shortly."

"How long?"

Hanson shrugged. "A few hours, maybe more. From the look of it, Legion's motor functions were affected, which explains why you had to drag it here. It re-routed secondary functions to compensate – best guess, though."

Alenko nodded slowly, a theory forming in his mind. "It makes sense, Commander. If it was a virus that affected Legion's motor functions, that could also explain the loss of ship control around Preying Mouth. If you can't control a ship's ability to maneuver, then you're victim to whatever the virus has in store."

Shepard frowned, her mind working. "Then why didn't the other ships simply switch to manual control like Joker did?"

Hanson's eyes lit up with excitement. "You said he used remote access? I'm guessing it had something to do with that – with the link. Sort of a viral loophole if you will."

Her frown deepened, but she nodded slowly. "Let me know when Legion's online again. I want whatever data it recorded."

"Will do, Commander."

Hanson crawled over the geth, taking the opportunity to examine the other side of its optical port. Alenko shot Shepard a disbelieving smirk and shook his head. Hanson was quite the quirky engineer. Shepard dismissed his behavior and exited the lab, Alenko on her heels. She glanced back at him as she passed through the hallway, curious as to his continued presence.

"Is there something you need, Alenko?"

He grabbed her arm, ignoring professionalism and protocol, and pulled her toward him. "When are we going to talk?"

Shepard pushed down the sudden heat building in her veins, attempting to focus instead on the anger generated by Alenko's continual pursuit of pointless conversation.

"We have been talking, Alenko."

The light humor in his face evaporated as he frowned slightly. He turned, backing Shepard up against the wall. The warmth in her veins continued to build, as well as a knot of apprehension in her gut. She felt trapped, backed into a corner as he moved closer, heat radiating off his body like a furnace.

He traced a finger down the line of her jaw, his voice low and husky. "No, we haven't. You've been avoiding me, Shepard."

She looked to the door, the floor, anywhere but in his eyes, knowing that her resolve would falter if she did so. He moved closer, Shepard's feeble attempts to keep him at bay completely ignored, her body betraying her yet again.

"I haven't been ignoring you," she blurted. "I've been busy."

His dark eyes searched her face as she stared at the ceiling, focusing her attention a small imperfection in the metal plating. She clenched her fists in frustration, resisting the pull of his presence.

He studied her a moment longer, suddenly pulling away. "So you have."

Shepard almost fell forward with the loss of his heat, regaining control at the last moment. "Alenko, I –"

He held up a hand to forestall any explanation, the desire in his eyes dissolving. "Do what you need to, Shepard. It's what you're good at."

The commander watched him turn on his heel and exit the hallway, the bright lights of the CIC flashing brightly as the door slid open. He did not look back.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: As always, thanks to my beta, drakontion, for all her help and to the readers following along. Have a little Garrus!

Chapter 25

_Captain's Personal Log: 0923-2186 C.E._

_Crew status update: Legion is functional again, although the geth has been working to repair damage done to its motor systems. It reported adequate levels of functioning, but I still notice the occasional stutter in Legion's movements. I had it download the shuttle data onto an OSD to prevent further viral contamination. EDI is scrubbing it now and will forward the intel to me once she's satisfied all potential threats have been neutralized._

_Lt. Young continues his rotation on third watch and has been performing admirably per Commander Alenko's reports. I have received no further complaints about protocol or security breaches, but his attitude still sucks. Serviceman Evans has been assisting Miranda with an encryption project she's developed, attempting to make contact with her agents still inside Cerberus. Garrus also seems busy. Servicewoman Goering has been visiting the forward batteries at repeated intervals. However, as long as Garrus remains up to date on his reports and maintains the quality of work I'm used to, I am willing allow this particular breach in protocol to slide; for now._

_I spoke with Hanson this morning. He had been in contact with Tali and he provided me with a copy of their cumulative results. Based on the Haestrom/Gotha readings, Tali believes that the Reapers planted a relay inside Dholen and activated it approximately three years ago when the keepers failed to respond to their original signal. Apparently, the fields protecting the relay are failing, which has resulted in the sun's energy flux. According to the data, Tali and Hanson believe that the long-term field use, combined with abnormal sunspot activity, caused a sort of gravimetric feedback loop, which jump-started an early nova phase. Of course, their explanation was more eloquent. It seems, though, that the loop started approximately five hundred or so years ago, exponentially intensifying when the relay was activated. Tali estimated that at this rate, the sun will likely to go nova within the next six hundred years. _

Shepard re-read her log, wracking her brain for any additional information to jot down. She twirled her tags restlessly and leaned back in her seat. The commander couldn't remember the last time she had gone so long without logging her progress. Perhaps her military discipline was waning? She quickly dismissed the erroneous thought, eyeing her boots that had been polished to a high shine, and the immaculate collection of spacecraft lining her wall. No, her duties had kept her busy.

The commander's mind flashed back to the memory of Alenko in the hallway when a similar statement escaped her lips. His hands had been hot on her arm, voice low and doing little to mask his sense of urgency. She had prided herself on her ability to withstand his charms and remain professional, but why then, had she felt so hollow afterward?

A frustrated frown creased her forehead as a chime on her terminal sounded. "What?"

"Commander, Ms. Lawson asked me to remind you of the staffing this afternoon. It is in five minutes."

Shepard nodded absently, shifting forward in her chair and eyeing the data pads on her desk. She had yet to disseminate intelligence received from Mordin and Samara, as well as Liara's information about the slavers. Perhaps one of her staff had access to similar information since Shepard's data seemed to have disappeared.

"I'm on my way down, EDI." The commander grabbed the nearest data pad, and double checking the information on file, strode purposefully out of her quarters and into the elevator.

The senior staff was arranged around the table as she entered, and the commander took her usual chair at the head. She met Miranda's eyes, nodding in approval for her to open the meeting. Shepard's mind drifted slightly as Miranda recounted the number of ship upgrades in the past month, calculating cost and upkeep, the account balances and reimbursement from Hackett's offices. It held no interest for her at the moment, the potential problem of maintenance costs already resolved by trading the plans for those same system upgrades with the Alliance. The commander's was a mission that paid for itself.

She brought her attention back to bear on the officers as Miranda ceased her report, her dark eyes sparkling at Shepard's knowingly. The commander punched in a series of commands, keying up the data on her pad. She shot the turian a questioning look, raising her eyebrow.

"Hanson informed me that he and Gabby adjusted the power draw in engineering to better suit your needs, Garrus. How's our new cannon working?"

The grin that split his face would have been terrifying to anyone not familiar with turian expressions. "Shepard, our new cannons are working at optimum levels. The energy use is only slightly higher than before, but our power output is radically increased. I can't wait to shoot something."

The commander stifled a chuckle and simply nodded, turning instead to Jacob. "And the status of our new armament, Mr. Taylor?"

He nodded brusquely. "It'll take a beating, but we only had enough to shield the Normandy's vital organs. Hanson gave me only so much material to work with."

"We'll get more, but for right now you're going to have to work with what you've got, Mr. Taylor." Shepard chewed her lip in thought. The senior staff did not know of the missing Reaper debris or missing data, and the commander wanted to keep it that way for the time being. "Alenko? What's the status of your crew?"

He paused, setting his data pad down, eyes unreadable. "Hackett provided us with additional funding in thanks for the intelligence Young downloaded. It seems that he found it rather helpful. Other than that, I have no additional information to report."

Shepard nodded slowly, studying the contents of her outline. "Does anyone have anything they'd like to discuss before we proceed?" The commander glanced at the blank faces surrounding her. "Very well."

Shepard scrolled further down the information, shifting in her seat. "I've received word from Liara. She provided us with intelligence on a slaver ring near the outer rim, outfitted with Collector technology and known to be involved in several dealings with them over the years."

Silence reigned in the room as the information sunk in, broken only by clatter of a data pad as it was thrown onto the table. Alenko sat back in his seat roughly. "I assume we're going to pay them a visit?"

"No." A smattering of muttered curses trickled across the room as the word fell from her lips. "We don't have time at the moment, but Liara is continuing to monitor the situation."

She wasn't entirely sure if her partial truth was believable, but plowed ahead regardless. "I also received word from Samara. She sent me a brief message that she was following a lead on the rachni's agent in the Terminus systems – specifically the Horsehead nebula. Her message was short, but appeared promising."

"Define promising." Miranda stated dryly.

Shepard ignored her, continuing with the next announcement. "Mordin also contacted me regarding his latest intelligence. Apparently, the STG decided to follow up on some of the information we received on Bothros and Logasiri. It seems that the batarian government has been funding a number of well-organized slaver rings, those we met on Bothros and Logasiri to name a few. Records date back quite a few years, with payments made to notable slavers such as Balak."

The commander paused, letting the murmurs around the table subside. Garrus' mandibles twitched as he turned his attention toward Shepard. "You don't think his threat of a batarian revolution was real, do you?"

She shook her head. "Garrus, I've heard of stranger things, but we don't have enough information to go on right now. The STG has pieced together small bits of intel, mainly dealing with the recent geth weapons trade, and a few blurbs on the Leviathan of Dis."

"What are they doing with the Leviathan?" Alenko sat upright in his seat, eyes alight with concern and curiosity.

Again, Shepard shook her head. She punched in a sequence of commands, her data pad lighting up briefly. "This is all the data I have on their findings at the moment. From what I can tell, the batarian government has been testing the Leviathan for several years now, trying to adapt its technology to their own. I think they're doing their best to gain some sort of foothold in the galactic arena."

"Sounds like something the Alliance would do," Jacob said, sifting through the information on his data pad.

"It is something _we_ are doing, Jacob." Miranda's light voice did nothing to belie truth of her statement.

Shepard tapped in a series of commands. "Tali and Hanson have updated me with their results on Dholen. It seems that the Reapers hid a relay in the sun thousands of years ago and have somehow recently reactivated it. You'll find more information, Tali's readouts, and statistical analysis in the files. I suggest you familiarize yourselves with the data.

"She also has a theory on how to focus the energy fluctuations while in-system. Tali believes that a form of triangulation can concentrate the flow of energy by erecting field generators on Haestrom, Gotha, and one of Charoum's orbital platforms – 98R seems most promising according to her notes. However, any ship caught within the focused field would be stripped of its shields in a matter of minutes."

Shepard continued to scroll down her intelligence, the other officers studying their data intently. "Hanson believes that he has figured out a way to delay Dholen's effects while in-system. By rotating shield frequencies, on the Normandy or environmental suits, our shields will be able to recharge in direct sunlight at a faster pace, giving us more room to maneuver and complete our objectives. However, too long in Dholen's exposure will cripple the shields regardless, so time is still a factor."

"Commander," Jacob frowned at his data pad. "Why would Tali even suggest setting up generators in geth controlled space?"

The commander nodded in contemplation. "According to Legion, the true geth do not send out regular patrols in the Dholen system. However, contrary to our original belief, the heretic geth still maintain a presence. Based on Tali's information, they have another base that would need to be wiped out before proceeding with her experiment. It has yet to be located."

The frown on Jacob's face deepened. "Why are we even doing this if it's just an experiment? Aren't we supposed to be trying to destroy the Reapers and save the galaxy?"

"Unfortunately, Mr. Taylor," Shepard set her data pad down. "It's not that easy. Helping Tali may go a long way toward securing the flotilla's assistance, and this is a fight where we can't afford to be picky. However, if you'd rather run around the galaxy with limited intelligence and trying to guess where the Reapers will strike first, be my guest."

"Noted," Jacob grumbled.

"Does anyone else have anything to report? Questions?" The commander skimmed the rest of her intelligence briefly and then glanced back up at the faces surrounding her. "Alright, dismissed."

The familiar shuffling accompanied the meeting's end, metal chairs scraping against the metal flooring, the clattering of data pads and flashing lights as they were turned off. Shepard stood slowly, in no hurry and waiting for the others to exit. She made her way toward the door just in time to see Hanson appear on the other side, his face flushed.

"What is it, Corporal?"

His eyes were blank as he shook his head numbly. "It's gone, Commander."

O o O o O o O

Shepard stood over the empty counter, seething. The mining debris from Gotha was gone. Hanson had moved out of the way, trying to remain as unobtrusive as possible, and watched the commander with growing apprehension as her fists curled tightly. She hadn't said a word to him in the hallway, but stalked into the lab and planted her body in front of the table, eyes blazing darkly as she considered the implications of this latest security breach. The commander barely heard Hanson breathing shallowly in the corner, the fear on his face blatantly obvious. She turned her steely gaze on him and he failed at suppressing a flinch.

"You tell no one of this. Understood?"

She noticed the slight fluttering of his eyelashes as he took in her still form. Hanson swallowed visibly as he nodded. Shepard jerked her gaze back to the table, once more contemplating the empty counter, her temper surging within. Before Hanson could open his mouth to explain further, the commander turned on her heel and marched out the door, making a beeline for the elevator.

Never before had she been so furious. So frustrating was this latest event and potential implications. Shepard had a traitor on her ship, an intelligent saboteur with access to both EDI and her personal accounts. A cold calm swept through her like a winter wind, silent and deadly. She punched the button on the elevator, the crew in the CIC doing their best to avoid her attention.

The ride to the crew quarters was surprisingly short, her mind furiously analyzing a mental list of potential culprits. She grew more frustrated as she reached dead end after dead end, finally coming to the conclusion that there was only one person she could trust with the information. Shepard turned the corner and strode purposely down the hall.

Garrus looked up as she entered the forward battery, the curious look on his face turning to one of concern as he recognized the tempest raging within her. The commander leaned heavily on the railing, eyeing the flashing lights of his compartment as he quickly completed his calibrations. Her grip tightened until her knuckles turned white, but she welcomed the pain. It was comforting, controlled.

"Commander?" Garrus stood back from his console, leaning almost casually against the wall, his bearing doing nothing to mask his competence.

She shook her head slowly and then turned her gaze on him. Shepard saw a flicker of recognition in his eyes. He had borne witness to her anger before. "We have a problem."

He nodded slowly, mandibles twitching ever so slightly. "So I gather. What do you need me to do?"

The commander returned her attention to the flashing lights, fighting to control the raw anger threatening to overwhelm her senses. She should've seen this coming, should've known that the data loss was not some random computer glitch, but rather a developing pattern. She should have seen the danger.

"There's been another security breach. Aside from you and me, only Hanson knows about the other two."

"EDI's logs?"

Shepard shook her head again, feeling the agitation seep through her pores. "Useless. Whoever is accessing the files is able to cover their tracks. It's as if they're utilizing the same shielding program that Young did."

Garrus' face darkened as his mandibles flared. "You've questioned Young?"

"He says he was on watch and Alenko confirmed his story."

"Shepard, you don't think…" The turian's voice trailed off as he saw the look in the commander's eyes.

"I've got a ship full of ex-Cerberus and ex-Alliance, Garrus. You're the only one I can trust with this."

He straightened and nodded brusquely. "I'll do whatever it takes, Commander."


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: Bioware owns everything.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, drakontion, for putting up with me. To the readers, please don't hate me...

Chapter 26

Shepard bolted upright, the blaring alarms startling her from sleep. Eerie red flashes pulsated throughout her quarters and she raced to her drawers, throwing on a pair of pants and yanking a top down over her nakedness. She pulled on her boots, lacing them quickly as the sleep evaporated from her eyes.

"EDI, status!"

Kelly's anxious voice filtered through the speakers, surprising Shepard momentarily. "EDI's offline, Commander."

She frowned, her brief moment of surprise giving way once more to anger as she entered the elevator. "What's the situation, Ms. Chambers?"

"Commander Alenko activated the alarms after he and Corporal Hanson were attacked in the AI core."

The commander frowned, stabbing the elevator button repeatedly. "What is Hanson's status?"

"Corporal Hanson is in medical, along with Commander Alenko."

Shepard felt a spasm of worry clench her gut, but pushed it away. "Who is the aggressor?"

Kelly's worried voice reverberated across the metal plating of the lift, stuttering only slightly. "Lieutenant Young had accessed EDI's primary systems in the AI core when Corporal Hanson interrupted him. Young attacked. According to Dr. Chakwas, the corporal's pretty badly beat up – some cuts and bruises along with a broken arm and nose."

"Where is Lieutenant Young now?" The commander stepped off the elevator and into the CIC, Kelly waiting restlessly by her terminal. The normally dim lights of third watch accompanied the red glow of the emergency lighting, crewmembers scurrying to their assigned emergency posts. The floor was a hive of activity.

"Lieutenant Young blew out the cargo bay doors and took the shuttle. He's gone."

Shepard eyed Kelly momentarily before brushing past her. Joker was at his station, fingers flying over the controls as he attempted to reconnect with the AI. The commander exhaled slowly, composing herself as she approached him.

"What's our status, Joker?"

He barked a harsh laugh, shaking his head resignedly. "We're dead in the water, Commander. If I can't get these systems back online, we're screwed."

The commander nodded in agreement. "I'll send Goering and Reynolds your way. Put them to use."

"If they can work miracles, I'm all for it," he snorted.

Shepard brushed off his comment, fighting to control her own temper, and returned to the CIC. Miranda exited the elevator and gestured to a crewman accompanying her, ordering him to his post as the commander arrived. The former operative turned her attention toward Shepard, the expression on her face calculating.

"Send Goering and Reynolds up front. Joker's got some work for them." Miranda nodded once, relaying the orders immediately. Shepard waited a moment before continuing. "Go with them. I'm sure they could use your help."

Miranda nodded as she entered a note on her data pad.

"And inform Hackett of our situation and make _sure_ it's a secure channel."

"Yes, Commander."

"I want this boat online. Get everyone to their posts. I don't care if they haven't slept yet."

"Right away, Commander."

Shepard's eye twitched briefly as an icy calm flowed through her veins. "I'll be in the AI core. Keep me informed of any changes in the status quo."

"Of course, Commander."

Her legs worked, carrying her into the elevator even if she didn't quite register that fact. The smooth ride down was unremarkable, the commander's mind focused on her duties. She ignored the slight hiss of the elevator doors as they opened, depositing her on the crew deck. Shepard moved with single minded determination, stalking through the halls toward the AI core. The sounds of pounding footsteps over metal floorboards fell on deaf ears. Dr. Chakwas' questioning voice received no answer, the commander only sparing her a quick glance to make sure her patients were stable.

Hanson was sprawled on an examination table, reclining and holding a medicated packet under his nose, his broken arm wrapped in a protective casing. Alenko sat across from him, a dark bruise coloring his left eye, and medicinal wrappings partially covering his torso. He met Shepard's gaze, the look in his eyes as dark as her own and nodded in understanding. Injuries could wait. They needed to get EDI back on line as soon as possible.

The door slid open as the commander entered the core, Legion's deactivated body lying dormant on the floor. Shepard shot it a cursory glance before focusing her attention on the task ahead of her. Garrus was already working on re-establishing the primary systems, dirt staining his brow. His face glowed orange, lit by the combined red of the core and yellow of his omni-tool.

"Shepard, I think we know who the saboteur is."

The commander snorted at his statement, crouching down beside him. "No shit. Hand me that data pad."

Garrus tossed the pad her way, barely pausing in his work. Shepard skimmed the data, noting the information downloaded just prior to the system shutdown. It seemed that Young had been attempting to erase Hanson and Tali's Haestrom/Gotha data, as well as the readings obtained from Preying Mouth. The commander frowned, setting the data pad down and activating her omni-tool.

Scanning EDI's systems, she established a link, hoping to discern Young's intentions. She reviewed the most recent system logs, skimming over the lines of code until her eyes started to water from the endless monotony. She sighed in frustration, her arm growing heavy, but refusing to abandon her duties. Garrus continued his work unabated, as well as two other technicians, the yellow and red lights casting ghastly shadows over their faces.

The door hissed open as Alenko and Hanson entered, Dr. Chakwas following with a deep scowl on her face. Shepard frowned as she looked up, her neck stiff.

"Are you two cleared for duty?"

Hanson shifted nervously while Alenko returned her frown. "Dr. Chakwas and I have come to an agreement. We work while she supervises. There's not much she can do with us right now until the med-lab's systems come back online."

The commander studied Alenko. His left eye was swollen and the bruise on his face had spread, but his dark eyes still held a familiar glint. His jaw was set firmly as he returned her gaze, stubborn as ever.

"Can you even see?" Shepard's eyes narrowed as she considered her options.

Alenko nodded, dark eyes glinting in the dim light.

"Okay. Get her back online, but don't overdo it – either one of you."

Dr. Chakwas let loose an exasperated sigh. "No more than twenty minute intervals with at least ten minutes rest."

Shepard tossed Alenko the data pad as she returned her attention to the core, the lines of code scrolling aimlessly down her display. She heard both Alenko and Hanson acknowledge the doctor's orders before reviewing the data pad, Chakwas reluctantly leaving them to their work.

O o O o O o O

Alenko punched in a sequence of commands into his omni-tool, the yellow glow distorting the shape of the bruise on his face. He had worked tirelessly over Legion, anger fueling his energy reserves. Shepard studied him as she paused in her duties, the lines of code still dancing aimlessly before her eyes. She had had more than enough of the AI core.

The door slid open, Dr. Chakwas' shadow filling the entryway. She stood with arms akimbo, a professional scowl barely visible upon her face.

"Alenko? Hanson? It's been approximately twenty-five minutes since your last break. I want you both in medical on the double." She glanced down at Shepard, studying the weary commander squatting next to the AI console. "You too, Commander. It's been at least four hours since you've taken a break."

Shepard opened her mouth to protest, but stopped as she noticed the severity in the doctor's gaze. The commander was in no mood to argue, her energy drained and her thoughts swimming. She stood, muscles aching and bones creaking from her marathon hack on the floor. Perhaps Chakwas was correct after all.

She followed Alenko and Hanson into medical, each man taking a seat on an examination table. Shepard leaned against her own, preferring to remain upright and stretched her body. Hanson's nose had long ago quit bleeding, and although Chakwas had reset it, his nose was still crooked and swollen, a bright red strawberry on an otherwise fair face.

Alenko observed the doctor's examination, watching the proceedings as he waited for his own turn. The bruise on his face had spread, turning almost black in places, his eye partially swollen shut. Chakwas had removed the bandages around his torso during their previous respite, although Shepard had not seen the extent of damage done. She had noticed Alenko wince occasionally as he worked to bring Legion back online, but it had yet to impede his performance.

Shepard stretched her arms over her head, yawning as the weight of fatigue bore down on her. She exited medical and made her way to the mess, eyeing the coffee maker with an eager sort of relief. Given the few hours' sleep she had had last night, a strong cup of coffee sounded like heaven.

The commander poured herself a deep cup, barely pausing to inhale the aroma as she took a sip, the hot liquid warming her body as it went down. It was stale and harsh, but Shepard didn't care. The familiar taste and jolt of caffeine was a welcome addition to her already hectic morning. She downed the rest, tossing back her head before immediately refilling her cup. Pausing momentarily in thought, she filled another mug and made her way back to medical.

Chakwas nodded curtly to Shepard as she returned to her desk, jotting down notes under the heat of her lamp. Hanson was lying down on his table, another medicated packet positioned lightly on his nose. Alenko leaned against a table, restlessly fidgeting with his omni-tool as he waited to get back to work. Shepard approached him and passed him a cup of coffee. His face relaxed slightly, enjoying the simple familiarity of the morning routine.

"It's been some time since you brought me coffee, Shepard."

The commander cocked an eyebrow, her voice hoarse from disuse. "You looked like you needed a pick-me-up."

He frowned into his mug, seeming to contemplate the mysteries of the universe within its shallow depths. "Something like that."

Shepard studied him for a time, watching the muscles of his jaw work as he stared at his coffee. His face was unshaven and slightly scruffy, lending him an air of rugged charm. The dark hair atop his head was disheveled and his shirt was dirty and torn from the morning's misadventure. His dog tags clinked lightly between deep breaths, glinting in the bright lights of the med-lab.

"What happened?"

Alenko looked up, meeting her gaze briefly before his eyes wandered across the room. "I had just finished my rounds and was calling it a night when I felt the beginnings of a migraine. Dr. Chakwas keeps a supply of my meds in the top left cabinet, so I stopped in to pick up a few before heading to bed. I heard some shuffling in the AI core and decided to investigate." He paused, frowning, gazing once more into his mug.

"Legion was inactive on the floor and Young was pummeling Hanson. I moved to intervene. Young clocked me on my left – that's why I'm so pretty – then knocked me down, kicking me in the gut." He shook his head slowly, once more meeting the commander's steely gaze. "I've only ever seen that kind of strength one time before, and that was when we were chasing Saren."

Shepard swore under her breath. "What do you mean?"

"Young threw Hanson across the room – literally _threw_ him. No human is that strong without some kind of modification, and it'd have to be a hell of a lot more advanced than our piddly tech in order to bypass the scanners."

"But you confirmed his story when I confronted him in the crew quarters." The commander frowned, remembering.

He sighed heavily, a look of disgust crossing his face. "He was in the CIC when I left that night, and EDI confirmed his location once my shift ended. I should've known better – gone to check on him personally rather than leave it to an AI."

Shepard agreed. Given Young's technological expertise and previous security breaches, Alenko should have watched him more carefully, but rehashing that point would serve no purpose. It was as much her fault as his. As commander of the Normandy she was responsible for everything that went on inside her ship, and Young was no exception. The anger that had been simmering under the surface all morning threatened to boil over, and Shepard quickly took another drink of her coffee.

"We had no way to know this would happen." Her voice was softer than she had anticipated, her anger slowly cooling.

Alenko glanced up at her and smiled, wincing only slightly from the bruise on his left side. Shepard set her mug down on the table and raised her hand to his face, studying his contusions. He cupped her hand in his own, the warmth of his fingers sending chills down her spine. She met his eyes, deep pools sparkling with mirth and pain, a hint of anger blazing amidst the calm.

Shepard lost herself in that moment, the familiarity of his warm touch flooding her with memories long suppressed. She remembered the taste of his breath, his presence by her side, the heat of his body pressed against her own. Her body betrayed her, control waning as she leaned into him, the taste of his lips within reach.

"Commander?" Joker's voice cut through the silence, the overhead speakers blaring through the med-lab. "We've got primary systems back online. Interior and exterior sensors are fully functional, although it will take more time to reroute some of the secondary functions."

Shepard froze, coming back to her senses as Joker's voice filtered through her ears. Alenko shot her a half smile and focused once more on his coffee.

"Good work, Joker." Shepard's voice felt as stale as her coffee. "Anything else I should know?"

A guttural sound filled the speakers as Joker cleared his voice. "You've got an incoming message from Liara. I guess she's back online too."

"Thanks, Joker. I'm on my way up."

"Sure thing, Commander."

Shepard shot Alenko an almost apologetic look, pausing only to study his face a moment longer. She frowned again, gathering her composure and stalked out the door, duty bound and headed toward the CIC.


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all, but I sometimes like to pretend otherwise.

A/N: Thanks to everyone following along. I've never written anything like this chapter before, so hopefully it came out alright...

Chapter 27

"Liara, your timing is impeccable."

A smile creased her blue face, but her eyes darkened. "I understand you've had some trouble of late."

Shepard snorted. "You could say that. What do you have?"

Liara glanced off-screen momentarily, punching in a series of commands on her terminal. "There's been an unusual amount of activity in the Relic system recently, a large amount of comm. chatter between a location near your position and Murky Water. I had some trouble narrowing the source and I didn't recognize the access codes as your own."

"Young stole the shuttle and took off after assaulting two of my crew and disabling EDI and Legion." Her face darkened with rage. "I want him back."

"I understand, Shepard. Here are the last coordinates I was able to detect. Given his heading and the communications, I suspect Young's destination is Murky Water."

"Agreed, Liara." The commander keyed in the coordinates on her terminal, sending the location to Joker. "Coordinates locked in."

"Here is a transcript of the communications I was able to decrypt so far. However, the majority of the code is beyond my ability to decipher. I suppose you have a decryption expert handy?"

"When do I not?"

A frown creased Liara's smooth brow, blues eyes shadowed. "Be careful, Shepard. My sources reported a massive electromagnetic signature in orbit around the planet. I've never seen its like."

"Acknowledged." The commander mirrored Liara's frown, her mind calculating numerous scenarios. "Hopefully we can apprehend Young before he reaches his destination. The UT-47's aren't known for their speed, and the shuttle's still damaged from a previous mission."

Liara nodded, her electronic visage wavering slightly. "I'll be monitoring your progress, Shepard. Stay safe."

Shepard shot her a cocky smile as she ended the call, masking the apprehension building in her gut. EDI's systems were online, save a few. Hanson and Alenko had returned to work in the AI core with Garrus, rerouting the secondary protocols and securing firewalls. Given Young's technological knowledge, she wanted to make sure that EDI was untouchable and safe from further hacking attempts.

"EDI, where are we on the defense systems?"

EDI's blue avatar appeared by the elevator, flickering slightly. "Primary systems are functioning at one hundred percent capacity. Defense systems are online, kinetic barriers at seventy percent and rising."

The commander nodded, noting the increased system output now that EDI was back online. She made her way up the gangway and into the helm where Miranda waited, arms crossed. EDI once more appeared, a hovering blue orb splashing an electronic glow throughout the room.

"What about arms?" Shepard asked, nodding at Miranda in acknowledgment. "I'm sure Garrus wants to know the status of his guns."

EDI's avatar wavered slightly. "Mr. Vakarian has, on average, entered queries pertaining to the main guns every four minutes over the past standard half hour. At present, power output in engineering has enough energy for one discharge, requiring another ten minutes to fully recharge."

"That's not good enough, Commander." Miranda plainly stated as she leaned over Joker's readout.

Shepard frowned, eyeing the stars through the observation port, Joker working furiously at his terminal. She glanced down at the display, noting their position. "Joker – ETA to the shuttle."

He shook his head, irritation plain in his voice. "Young's somehow jacked up the shuttle's power output, increasing his speed. Estimated intercept is approximately five minutes."

The commander studied the readouts, a rough plan forming in her mind. "Joker, cut back the power to the guns. I want to knock out the shuttle's main thrusters, not blow him out of the sky. Understand?"

"Aye, aye, Commander."

Miranda shot her a concerned look, but Shepard ignored it, her mind forming a strategy. "EDI, can you recreate the virus from Preying Mouth with the data we recorded?"

The blue orb flickered again. "I believe so, Commander. I have already erected secondary firewalls to protect from such an attack, but did not extend those protocols to the shuttle."

"Good work, EDI." Shepard paced behind Joker's chair, ticking off a list of system requirements in her head as she kept an eye out the observation port. The stars seemed to remain motionless, sparkling brightly against the black sky, the simplicity of their beauty at odds with the dangers within their realm.

Shepard perked up as she recognized a familiar shape. The blue thrusters of the shuttle were in sight, its outline barely visible against the backdrop of space. The commander placed a hand on the back of Joker's chair, steeling herself for the confrontation to come.

The shuttle had no guns, but she wasn't entirely sure of what Young was capable of. She had vastly underestimated his abilities before, and had no intention of doing so again.

"Joker, give me a firing solution."

His fingers danced over the controls, the light of the displays glowing yellow. "Almost there, Commander."

Shepard gripped the back of his chair tightly, her knuckles turning white. The shuttle grew larger in the viewport, the glow of its maneuvering thrusters flashing brightly. Miranda stood back to observe the scene, arms once more crossed, a slight frown on her face.

"I've got a solution, Commander."

"Fire."

Twin sparks of light lit up the black sky, streaking toward the shuttle. The resulting explosion was smaller than she expected, but strong enough to knock the UT-47 off course. The Normandy closed swiftly, maneuvering into position in order to swallow the shuttle. Shepard watched as it floated aimlessly away, Joker working diligently to match its trajectory.

EDI's voice broke the silence in the helm. "Long range sensors detecting a massive electromagnetic signature emerging from Murky Water's upper atmosphere, Commander. Profile suggests a Reaper."

Shepard swore under her breath and keyed the comm. unit. "Garrus, what's the status of my guns."

"It'll take about two more minutes to recharge at full strength, and then another seven for a second salvo." The turian's voice was gruff, edged with fatigue. Miranda shot her another look, but said nothing.

"You'll have to do better than that, Garrus. Get me my guns." She cut him off, switching the comm. frequencies.

"Alenko, what's the status of the shields?"

His familiar smoky timbre resonated through the speakers. "Kinetic barrier strength up to ninety percent and climbing, Commander."

"Get me more, Alenko." Shepard switched off the comm., her focus once more on the terminal in front of her. EDI's sensor readings scrolled down the display as Shepard's angry determination grew. They weren't in the best shape to take on a Reaper, but she'd be damned if they didn't recover Young.

She jammed her finger down on the comm. button. "Hanson, get your ass to the cockpit on the double."

Shepard barely registered his acknowledgment before she focused her attention on the AI. "EDI, after we pick up Young, how much time will we need to exit the system?"

"Maintaining our current course and speed, it will take approximately fifteen standard minutes."

The commander chewed her lip in thought. "And how long will it take for the Reaper to overtake us?"

EDI's orb flashed brightly. "Approximately twelve standard minutes."

"Orders, Commander?" Miranda appeared calm, but the slight fluttering of her fingers said otherwise.

Shepard's eyes narrowed in concentration, shifting sideways as Hanson raced up the gangway. She gestured to the number two chair where Hanson promptly planted himself. The glowing display lit up, coloring his face a sickly yellow. Shepard stilled as she made a decision.

"Joker, get that shuttle in the cargo bay. Secure the magnetic seals and move us into position for attack."

She saw his jaw drop as he turned around, astonishment plain on his face. "You want me to what?"

Shepard felt a muscle in her jaw twitch, but kept her eyes forward and focused on the shuttle. "You heard me, Joker. EDI, get everyone to battle stations. Hanson?"

His voice was tentative as he looked over his shoulder. "Yes, ma'am?"

"As soon as the Reaper's in range I want you to deliver the shielding program while EDI deploys the Preying Mouth virus. "

Hanson's eyes widened. "Yes, ma'am."

Joker's voice cut through her thoughts. "Moving into position, Commander. Magnetic seals holding, shuttle in position. Initiating reverse thrusters now."

Shepard felt the subtle change in movement and leaned slightly forward. Her concentration was disrupted as loud footsteps pounded through the CIC. The commander turned to see Grunt stomping up the gangway as he approached the helm.

She cocked a curious eyebrow. "Grunt?"

"Battlemaster," Grunt halted, eyes rolling forward to meet her appraising gaze. "I heard there's a fight in the works. Where do you need me?"

Shepard straightened her stance, white knuckles still gripping Joker's chair. "Grunt, I need you in the cargo hold to guard Young. He is to stay on the shuttle. Don't let him past you."

He bared his teeth and snarled. "Guard duty is not a job for a krogan."

The commander met his gaze with a forceful glare. "You'll do as I order, Grunt. Or is taking down our saboteur too much work for you?"

"Will I get to fight him?"

Shepard reined in her temper. "If it comes to that."

The large krogan pounded his fists enthusiastically. "As you order, Battlemaster."

The commander pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation as Grunt stomped down the gangway. She shared a cautious look with Miranda before turning her attention back to the observation port, the lighted form of the distant Reaper slowly taking shape.

The alien body materialized in front of her, wisps of the planet's atmosphere still clinging to its dark surface before dissolving in the vacuum of empty space. Its appendages were curled underneath, reminiscent of a deadly spider lying in wait. Shepard felt a chill trickle down her spine as she watched the behemoth grow ever larger, approaching with a terrifying speed she remembered all too clearly.

"Joker, status."

"Almost there, Commander." His fingers raced across the terminal, punching in a sequence of commands. "Shuttle secured. Additional magnetic seals engaged. Moving into position now."

"EDI," Shepard's voice grew tense, the adrenaline pumping through her veins. "What's your status?"

"Kinetic barriers at one hundred percent and holding. Main guns are fully charged. Firewalls erected. I am deploying the Preying Mouth virus now."

The commander exhaled slowly, controlling the myriad thoughts circling through her head and concentrating only on the elements before her. "Do it."

EDI's blue avatar wavered slightly as Hanson worked furiously at his controls, Miranda studying his progress. Shepard stood calmly next to Joker; the only sign of tension was her grip on his chair. The memory of the O4 relay flashed in her memory, the sweat of combat, the violence of their arrival. She hadn't had time to be scared or nervous. She had been too busy trying to control the situation as she rode a wave of adrenaline.

Shepard watched as the Normandy proceeded on course, the Reaper looming before them. She analyzed the tactics in her mind's eye, reviewing every bit of data that she'd learned when facing Saren and Sovereign. A decidedly wicked smile creased her face.

Joker looked up at her. "Orders, Commander?"

She narrowed her eyes, steely gaze focused ahead. "Get in close and fire the main gun, then move immediately to .227."

"Shepard?"

The commander shot a vicious glare at Joker and he almost blanched at the severity of her expression.

"Aye, aye, Commander."

The memory of Virmire had surfaced in her mind, and while a Reaper could complete a turn that would shear any of the Alliance's dreadnaughts in half, the laws of physics still held true. A frigate was smaller and more maneuverable. Based on her calculations, Joker should be able to stay out of range of the Reaper's particle beams if the Normandy remained right on its ass.

Shepard concentrated on the view through the observation port. The Reaper continued on course, streaks of electric light pulsating through its abhorrent form, appendages uncurling as it prepared to fire. The commander suppressed the revulsion churning in her gut, staring in morbid fascination as the squid-like tentacles began to glow.

"Incoming." Joker's voice interrupted her thoughts and she steadied herself.

"Evasive maneuvers."

The Normandy weaved through the incoming beams as Joker's fingers danced across the terminal. Hanson manipulated the controls as he delivered the shielding program, his readout displaying seventy percent completion. EDI's blue avatar continued to hover over the console, flickering every so often. Shepard held her grip on Joker's chair, ignoring the pain in her hand.

The metal floor shuddered underneath her as a beam breached the kinetic barriers. Alarms sounded throughout the ship, the red flashes of light once more fluttering against the metal paneling. Joker swore loudly while Shepard held her tongue, her eyes always forward. "Fire the main gun."

Joker cursed again as he punched in the commands, the Normandy convulsing under the power discharged by the main guns. Shepard watched the glowing stream of light cut through the space between them, impacting against the Reaper's hull. Joker worked the control panel, the readout of the display shifting. The Normandy veered right, the inner hull groaning slightly as the reverse starboard thrusters fired.

Joker swore again, shifting in his chair as he reached across the terminal. "Moderate damage to hull, Commander."

Shepard nodded, but continued to keep her eyes forward, the steel in her veins molten. "How long until the guns are recharged?"

"Two more minutes, Commander."

"Hanson, status."

"Ninety percent complete, Commander. Give me five more minutes."

The Normandy rocked, veering wildly as another beam penetrated their defenses. The armor plating tore open and the shriek of metal grated against her ears. The commander fought to remain upright as Miranda was thrown against her, Joker working frantically to keep the Normandy on course. Red emergency lights flashed as crewmembers scurried to their posts, the blaring sirens deafening.

Shepard held her tongue, gripping the back of Joker's chair even tighter. "EDI, where's my virus."

"I am currently working against the Reaper's continuous attempts to breach my systems. Deployment of the virus is commencing."

She frowned slightly, irritated that things weren't moving as fast as she would like.

"Guns at maximum, Commander." Miranda reported.

"Fire."

Joker stabbed the terminal button, an odd look of excitement on his face. "How you like that, you son of a bitch!"

The Normandy pulsed again with the power discharge and Shepard watched as another shot impacted the Reaper's hull. It was difficult to tell if they were making any headway.

Joker shifted in his seat, activating the maneuvering thrusters and maintaining position on .227. The Normandy jerked wildly, swerving out of the line of fire. Shepard turned to Hanson just as he proclaimed success.

"One hundred percent complete, Commander." He frowned as he examined the display. "But I'm not sure if it's working."

_Fuck_. Shepard held her tongue, and leaned over Joker's readout. The Reaper showed no signs of slowing, turning almost fluidly to attack, another beam barely missing its mark. The commander flexed her free fist, ignoring the building frustration in her veins, and just as she opened her mouth to question Hanson, Miranda stopped her.

"Commander?" A quizzical look adorned her face, her gaze focused on their opponent. "Something's happening."

It was barely noticeable at first and Shepard squinted into the observation port. The Reaper continued to fire at them, but its aim was slowly drifting, as if it had lost control of its limbs. The commander turned to EDI's blue avatar, the wicked smile returning to her face.

"Status, EDI."

"Preying Mouth virus deployed, Commander. Firewalls holding, systems secure. The Reaper AI still continues its attempts to breach my systems."

Shepard turned back towards the observation port, her eyes on the Reaper. "Joker, fire again."

He frowned. "But the guns haven't fully recharged yet."

She shook her head. "Do it."

Joker shrugged, muttering unintelligible curses under his breath as he punched in the commands. Shepard watched another salvo descend from their position, impacting again against the Reaper's hull. The commander grinned in satisfaction at the resulting explosion, the impact trickling across the hull of the Reaper like gleaming gossamer webbing.

Hanson hollered loudly in his seat, cheering animatedly above the din of the alarms. Shepard ignored his enthusiasm, her attention still focused on the Reaper. She watched as the glow of the particle beams ceased and the Reaper seemed to drift aimlessly, its damaged hull sparkling brightly against the dark of space.

"Joker, I want you to keep on its tail and fire again when the guns are fully charged."

He simply nodded, manipulating the controls on the terminal. "Aye, aye, Commander."

The deep blue of Murky Water filled the windows of the observation port, the elegant swirls of its skies a fascinating manifestation of its violent atmosphere. Shepard's smile widened slightly, her eyes alight with vengeance. The Normandy didn't need to destroy the Reaper completely. The depths of Murky Water's gravity field would finish the job for her.

"Guns fully charged, Commander."

Shepard released her grip on Joker's chair. "Fire."


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: This chapter is rated M for violence and language.

Chapter 28

"Get Evans on the hull breach! Secure those firewalls, and for shit's sake get off the floor, man!"

Shepard barked orders as she strode through the CIC, adrenaline still pumping wildly. Her crew scattered before her, tackling their duties with alacrity. She punched the button for the elevator, savoring the sounds of post-battle success. Despite her stern demeanor, she was ecstatic. They had taken down a Reaper and they were still in one piece, mostly.

The commander stepped into the lift, the doors closing just as Hanson jumped in. His face was flushed and he appeared out of breath, an awkward smile creased his face. Shepard punched the button for the cargo bay, her blood calling out for continued release. She was in need of some answers.

"We did it, Commander." He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, eyes alight with excitement.

Shepard nodded slightly. "How are your injuries?"

Hanson extended his arm, testing his movements, awkward in the protective casing. "Still a little stiff, but it works."

The commander nodded again, stoic and silent as the elevator descended. Hanson bounced enthusiastically on his toes, boots squeaking against the metal flooring. He deserved to confront Young, to have his own questions answered after the beating he took. Shepard smiled wickedly as the elevator doors opened and she stepped into the cargo hold.

Grunt paced impatiently, rifle at the ready and itching for action. Shepard nodded in his direction, acknowledging his presence before planting her feet firmly in front of the shuttle. EDI had disabled the shuttle's command consoles and the maneuvering thrusters were shot. The UT-47 sat before her like an immobilized giant just waiting to give birth.

"EDI, are the seals holding?" Shepard crossed her arms behind her back, waiting.

"Affirmative, Commander. Magnetic seals and firewalls are still in place."

"Open the shuttle doors."

Shepard glanced over as the elevator doors opened and Alenko poured out with a team of marines, a reactivated Legion in tow. Hanson moved behind her as the newcomers arrived, the bruise still darkening Alenko's face. He gestured to the team to take up positions, and then assumed his own on Shepard's flank. She turned her attention back to the UT-47 as its doors slid open.

Young sat slouched inside the cabin, his body slumped forward as he leaned his head in his hands. The commander eyed him for a time, gauging his reaction, but doing nothing. She gestured to the marines to take up flanking positions, motioning to Grunt and Legion to accompany her. She remembered the weight of her side arm against her hip, and checked the fastenings on her holster.

He did not look up as they approached, remaining still as they breached the magnetic seals. Legion activated his omni-tool while Grunt took aim, Shepard continuing to eye him, the weight of her cannon ever present on her hip.

"We detect abnormal brain wave patterns, Shepard-Commander." Legion stepped closer, examining the readout of its omni-tool. "Current readings do not match previous records."

Shepard frowned. "Explain."

"Readings are analogous to advanced cybernetic output."

The commander stepped forward and grabbed a handful of Young's hair, jerking his head up forcefully to meet her own. Dark eyes glittered back at her, pupils lit with a deep red from within. The adrenaline surged in her veins once more as she recognized the presence of implants.

"What are you?" she whispered more to herself than anyone else.

He glared at her but continued to remain unmoving. She let his head drop and stepped back. "EDI, send for Dr. Chakwas ASAP."

"Of course, Commander."

Shepard turned to Legion. "Is he Cerberus?"

"Negative, Shepard-Commander." Legion's head optics flared slightly. "Scans detect the presence of highly advanced implants. Readings suggest Reaper origins."

Shepard swore and Grunt chambered a round. She turned her attention back to Young and contemplated him.

"What's your mission, Lieutenant?"

Young sat with his head in his hands, eyes downcast and unmoving. Legion continued to scan him as Grunt and the marines remained on guard. Shepard stepped forward and repeated her question with increased force.

He looked up at her, red pupils glowing, and still said nothing. The adrenaline in her blood gave way to anger, and Shepard took another step forward.

"I'll ask one more time, Young. What is your mission?" Her voice was low, menacing, the threat obvious.

He snorted derisively and dropped his eyes once more to the floor. Shepard stepped back and shot Alenko a look. He tensed, nodding in understanding. The commander pulled her cannon and fired twice, a round in each of Young's legs, one impact shattering his left kneecap. He crumpled to the floor, an expression of agony distorting his face as he groaned aloud. Shepard crouched down next to him and pressed the muzzle of her cannon against his temple.

"There are other ways to get my information, Young," she hissed. "Are you going to talk?"

Grunt bared his teeth in a feral smile as he snorted in agreement. Legion continued to monitor his omni-tool's display, head plates flaring occasionally. Alenko had pulled his pistol from its holster and trained it on Young, barely acknowledging Dr. Chakwas' presence as she exited the elevator.

"Commander?" The doctor's voice was edged with concern.

"Your services might not be needed, Doctor." Shepard increased the pressure of her gun as Young grunted in pain.

The commander waited for Young to respond, and when no cooperation was forthcoming, she cocked the hammer on her cannon, the clicking of the gears echoing in the cabin's silence. He stirred and looked up, red eyes meeting hers.

"Fine," he uttered, his voice barely audible.

Her eyes narrowed as she briefly contemplated his response, and then gestured to Grunt. "Secure him."

The large krogan complied, holstering his shotgun as he restrained Young, roughly jerking the smaller man's body on the hard floor. Shepard remained unmoving, her cannon still pressed to his head and ready to fire. She wasn't about to take any chances.

Grunt attached additional bindings to his legs and arms, securing them about Young's midsection before hefting him up savagely. Young grunted again, a look of pain across his face. Shepard stepped back and allowed them to pass, accompanied by a detachment of the Normandy's marines.

"Take him to medical, and secure him. I want a heavy guard on him at all times. EDI?" She glanced upward out of habit. "Make sure the firewalls are secured, and partition the med bay and AI core. I don't want your systems accessible from anywhere near that location."

"Acknowledged, Commander."

Dr. Chakwas approached her, a disapproving look on her face. "You're limiting my resources, Commander."

"Work with what you've got, Doctor." Shepard holstered her cannon and frowned at the blood pooling on the floor of the shuttle. "Somebody get in here and clean up this mess."

Alenko gestured to a marine who quickly scurried into action. Hanson's face paled as he turned, following the commander out of the cargo bay. Alenko met Chakwas' eyes before he too turned toward the elevator, leaving the doctor shaking her head ruefully.

O o O o O o O

The data pad clattered onto the table as the commander tossed it aside, ignoring the looks on the faces of her officers. They had gathered for an emergency meeting to regroup and review the damages suffered in the past few hours. Shepard chewed her lip in thought as she digested Dr. Chakwas' report.

"Here's what we know so far: Young is a Reaper sleeper agent and had implants lodged in the nodules of his occipital lobes. Put simply, his job was to sabotage our progress and limit our intelligence. I'm sorry to say he performed admirably. Since his stay in medical, Young has provided us with most of the missing data he acquired from EDI's core and the means with which he was able to access it. It seems he used the same shielding program that he had previously, but with a modified algorithm. Corporal Hanson is investigating it at present."

Miranda leaned forward with interest. "We could use the tech in those implants, Shepard."

"Dr. Chakwas is unsure if she is able to extract the implants without damage to Young." The commander frowned in thought. "I haven't come to a decision regarding how important his health is yet."

"Think of the greater concern, Shepard." Miranda stated bluntly.

"I agree," Garrus added, mandibles twitching slightly. "The tech from those implants could be useful, and if not, well then I doubt he'll be trying to hack our systems any time soon."

Jacob set his pad down, frowning in thought. "What about the data recovered from the Reaper? Anything we can use?"

Shepard shook her head, still frowning. "EDI's scrubbing the rest of the data while Legion and Serviceman Goering decrypt what information we have. It will take time, but we should have additional intelligence by the time we reach the Citadel.

"Udina is currently working to schedule a meeting with the council." She gestured across the table. "Alenko, Miranda, and Hanson will accompany me. Grunt and our marines will secure Young and hand him over to C-Sec custody once we're finished with him.

"We're also going to be docked for some time while the Normandy is repaired. I'll allow the crew to have some brief shore leave, but I don't want everyone jumping ship at once. Turn in your requests, and those of your subordinates, and I'll schedule rotating shifts."

She saw heads nod and heard murmurs of agreement around the table. Garrus shifted in his seat, mandibles twitching. Shepard cocked a slender eyebrow. "Garrus, you have something?"

He nodded, punching in a sequence on his data pad. "This is the most recent information my contact has sent me." He leaned back in his chair, his eyes meeting Shepard's. "He finally got some schematics from the ship on Gamayun's moon, Gigula. See anything familiar?"

The commander picked up her data pad once more, examining the scrolling stream of information, pausing upon recognizing a familiar shape. Her eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise.

"This can't be," Alenko's face darkened as he studied the intelligence.

Shepard nodded, realization dawning. She set her data pad aside once more, her mind processing the information. "It's the species the Reapers are based on."

"What?" Jacob blurted, disbelieving.

The commander pinched the bridge of her nose in thought, Garrus studying her movements. "They tried to make a human Reaper. Who's to say they've never tried it with another species?"

"Tried and succeeded," Garrus interjected.

"It makes sense," Miranda leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. "The Reapers utilize those species which are highly evolved, modeling their desirable attributes, and building a stronger, more adaptable Reaper collective."

Jacob snorted. "So it's not enough that they use us to harvest resources and then exterminate us?"

Miranda shook her head matter-of-factly. "That would be inefficient. Our genetic makeup is useful to them as well. I think we saw evidence of _that_ on the Collector base."

"Agreed." Shepard's eyes narrowed at the memory, her body relaxing slightly as she acknowledged her options regarding Young. The commander glanced around the room, studying the faces of those surrounding her. "Does anyone have anything else?"

Silence reigned, the soft thud of shifting feet the only sound in the room. "Very well," Shepard nodded. "Miranda, I want a damage assessment on my desk in two hours. Garrus, I want your report on the Gigula ship before we reach the Citadel. Jacob, you're in charge of repairs once we dock. I want our hull patched, our armor upgraded. Confer with Hanson regarding the Reaper debris that disappeared. He should have some good ideas.

"Garrus," the commander shifted in her seat. "You've got ordnance. Stock up on whatever you can get and make sure our power draw is sufficient. Everyone know what they're doing?"

A series of acknowledgments rang around the table and Shepard stood. "Get to it, then."

Alenko approached her as the others filed out, going about their tasks as ordered. The other commander paused as Shepard studied the readout on her data pad.

"Something you need, Alenko?"

He stood quietly, controlled. "You didn't give me an assignment, Shepard."

She nodded succinctly. "That's because you're coming to medical with me."

"I am?"

The commander exited the comm. room, Alenko following at a respectful distance, the two pausing only to wait for the elevator. Shepard didn't intentionally ignore him on the ride down, but she needed to review her intelligence one more time before fully committing to her decision. She had to know that the implants would even be useful.

They walked in silence through the hall of the crew deck, crossing the short distance to medical. The door hissed open, Grunt shifting subtly as they approached, his attention barely disturbed as he continued to guard the prisoner. Chakwas hovered over Young, his body lying awkwardly on an examination table, bonds still in place. Shepard approached quietly, preferring to wait until the doctor acknowledged her presence. She had no intention of interrupting her examination.

The commander turned to Alenko who waited patiently next to her, the contusion on his face fading after several applications of medigel. She brushed his cheek lightly, the concern evident on her face as she met his eyes.

"I'm okay, Shepard. It doesn't hurt."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Liar."

He gestured, jerking his head slightly to the left. "The doctor is waiting."

Shepard studied him a moment longer, then moved to address Chakwas. She had returned to her desk and awaited the commander's orders, her expression one of curiosity.

"What do you have to report, Doctor?" Shepard stood solidly, assured of her decision. However, since medicine was Chakwas' area of expertise, she could still override the commander's orders.

"Well," the doctor set the chart down, contemplating her report with a frown. "All my readings are normal except for his brain functions. The implants appear to increase levels of Norepinephrine and Acetylcholine in such a way as to increase his strength, modify his memory, and control his actions. It seems he was, for lack of a better term, preprogrammed years ago with only recent activation of his implants."

"Can you remove them?" Her tone was blunt, cold.

Dr. Chakwas frowned. "Yes, although I wouldn't recommend it."

"Why not?"

The doctor glanced back over on the man bound on the table, red eyes glaring at them as if he could hear their conversation.

"While the majority of the implants can be extracted with the nodules, there are others that are deeper within. Removal would require a more invasive approach, and several hours of surgery."

"Will he be functional afterwards?"

Chakwas nodded, her face neutral. "He should be."

Shepard checked the readout on her omni-tool. "You have five hours, Doctor. Better get started."


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: Bioware owns pretty much everything.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, drakontion, for her help and to the readers for following along. As always, feel free to post you thoughts and opinions if you like.

* * *

Chapter 29

Shepard stood before the stairs leading up to the Petitioner's Stage, soft light filtering through the cherry blossoms. Alenko stood beside her and waited patiently while Hanson bobbed excitedly on his toes, eyes alight with curiosity as he took in the sight of the chamber. Miranda leaned against a half-wall with her arms crossed, a frown on her face. Shepard understood her discomfort. She had known this time would come, but she'd thought to be better prepared.

The commander exhaled slowly, steeling her nerves for the political exercise ahead. She disliked dealing with the Council, but it was a necessary evil. She fully expected to defend her position and her evidence repeatedly, as well as restrain the more volatile side of her temper. The Council had a seemingly innate ability to light her up with a single look or gesture, their ramblings merely a filibuster to cover their fear. Shepard sighed. She hated politicians.

"Ready, Commander?" Miranda leaned forward, her movements jerking Hanson out of his awe.

Shepard nodded slightly, her eyes forward as she ascended the stairs. Udina waited for her, the usual scowl on his face, darkening slightly as he recognized the individuals accompanying her.

"Commander Shepard. I assume you have a good reason to call this meeting? I pulled a lot of strings to arrange this."

Shepard turned her gaze on him, eyes like ice, and he took an involuntary step back. "As a Spectre I have a right to meet with the Council. Consider yourself lucky that I thought to include you at all."

He huffed, grumbling about her lack of respect as they approached the stage. Shepard paused at the edge, back ram-rod straight as the council members lined up opposite her. Alenko and Miranda stood on either flank while Hanson remained in back, his excitement barely contained. Udina stood next to Shepard, puffing out his chest as if to increase his self-importance purely through show.

"Council members," Udina barked. "May I present Commander Shepard, of the Alliance Corsair Pro-"

The turian counselor waved his hand dismissively. "We know who Commander Shepard is, Ambassador. You introduction is not necessary."

From the corner of her eyes, the commander noticed Udina's face slacken, and smiled inwardly before turning her full attention on the Council, voice firm and unwavering.

"The last time we met you requested evidence. Between both the physical proof and documented recordings, I believe I have provided all that you need to make a decision."

There was a pause in the chamber as the council members reviewed their terminal displays, the glow of the information scrolling down the screens.

The asari glanced up first. "You have indeed done as we asked, Commander, but I am unclear as to the reports of a 'sleeper agent' among your crew. Your very admission of sabotage damages the reliability of any information that you have provided us."

Shepard swore under her breath. She had suspected something like this might come up, but hoped it wouldn't. "We have transferred the saboteur over to C-Sec custody where his actions can be investigated by your people."

"After his implants were removed." The turian councilor's voice was forceful, accusatory. "How can we be sure that he is indeed the individual responsible for your failings?"

The commander felt her blood begin to simmer and fought to rein in her temper. She punched a sequence of commands into her omni-tool, forwarding the data. "Dr. Chakwas' report provides, in detail, the surgery performed to remove the implants. She also has both visual and audio recordings of the event available per your request."

"Why was this information not included in your original report?"

Shepard was long past tired of the turian's tone of voice. "Because you didn't ask?"

The chambers stirred with murmurs, the usual echo of surprise and disbelief that accompanied one of her outbursts. The turian counselor shifted irritably and opened his mouth to speak, but Shepard forestalled him.

"Those are the doctor's personal records," she stated, "delivered to you as a courtesy. I provided you with physical evidence, the implants for your experts to study, as well as our most recent technological advances."

"Ah yes, the Reaper virus."

Shepard frowned, her anger threatening to boil over, and accessed her omni-tool again. "If you had reviewed the visual footage over Murky Water, specifically at 2:08:56, you would see visual confirmation of a Reaper. At 2:48:39, you can see the damage to its hull. Note its shape, and how many similarities there are between this Reaper, and the ship obtained on Gigula by the Turian Hierarchy."

Silence blanketed the chamber like a heavy curtain and a feeling of satisfaction spread through the commander's limbs. She had finally rendered the Council speechless. Alenko shifted awkwardly beside her while Miranda remained perfectly still. Shepard waited for the councilors to speak, but it was Udina who interrupted the quiet.

"Commander Shepard has only recently provided the Alliance with this information and our experts, like yours, have not yet had ample opportunity to determine its authenticity."

The turian counselor's mandibles flared wildly. "I assume your people have had ample opportunity to evaluate the commander's mental status? The sudden appearance of this so-called evidence worries me. She worked for Cerberus, an avowed enemy of the Council ." He threw his arms up in a very human gesture. "With all the cybernetic implants in her body, I wonder if she's under Alliance control at all!"

Both Udina and Shepard opened their mouths to answer his question, but Miranda stepped forward calmly, her lilting voice carrying over the ruckus of the chamber. "If C-Sec records are accurate, Councilor, your own turian Spectre, Saren, also had many cybernetic implants including a grafted geth arm and neurological modifications. You supported his Spectre status continually until Commander Shepard provided you with evidence to the contrary. Tell me," Miranda took a breath to steady herself. "How is this any different?"

The commander was pleasantly surprised by the sheer force in Miranda's voice. She had heard her state her opinion on numerous occasions, but never with such bridled passion. A strange feeling of pride tickled her senses and Miranda shot her a knowing look.

"Peace, Commander." The asari councilor raised her hand in a placating gesture. "Your evidence is still under review, but we commend you on the work done so far. Your initiative is appreciated."

Shepard suppressed a derisive snort, memories of previous her initiative and escape to Ilos flooded her mind. She glanced over at Alenko, his solid form comforting, and she saw his eyes drift toward her. Her moment of peace was offset as feelings of regret snaked through her limbs. The commander pushed the memory away quickly, focusing once more on the council.

"We understand that the Justicar Samara has been collaborating with you, providing intelligence reports regarding her current mission." The asari councilor paused momentarily. "I understand she has pledged to you her support in your endeavors."

Shepard nodded slightly and opened her mouth to speak, but it was the salarian councilor who plowed ahead. "It seems your industrialism is not limited to the asari. I understand that the STG has also been providing you with intelligence and has even engaged in several missions on your behalf."

Shepard nodded again, preferring to remain silent until she found out exactly where the councilors were headed with these new observations. Udina puffed up beside her, most likely ready to support any challenge they threw at her.

The salarian glanced at the other two councilors and inclined his head. "I must say that I am impressed, Commander Shepard. I had not thought you able to utilize such resources. While I admire your initiative, I am not sure I like the fact that governmental agencies are wasting valuable resources on your behalf. Their allegiance is to their governments, and ultimately to the Council. Not to you."

"Agreed," the turian councilor firmly stated. "What exactly are you planning, Commander, that you also require both krogan _and_ rachni forces?"

Shepard stepped forward to answer, forestalling any potential interruption by Udina. "During our battle with the Reaper, our ship's computer was able to decipher the time and place of the Reaper arrival. This data is supported by readings gathered from our team members working in conjunction with the quarians. Together, our experts have generated an attack strategy based on the intelligence that we've been gathering for over the last year. Even now, the STG works to complete a series of bunkers on Haestrom and Gotha, as well as modify an orbital platform over Charoum." She shot a look at the salarian councilor. "As a Spectre I have access to the Council's resources, and the STG is one of those resources."

"Yes, but krogan? Rachni?" The turian's mandibles fluttered. "I believe your kind has a saying, Commander Shepard. Your reach has exceeded your grasp."

The commander heard Alenko stiffen beside her, but thankfully he kept his mouth shut. Shepard activated her omni-tool, examining the last reports from Mordin. "Rachni and krogan forces will be needed in the event of a ground war. The bunkers must be protected. Without them, we can't hope to defeat the Reapers as they enter the system."

Silence descended once more on the Council Chambers, the usual murmurs of onlookers nonexistent. Shepard felt their eyes on her as the Council conferred, ignoring the irritation building in her gut. Udina remained puffed up next to her, the familiar scowl darkening his face. She heard Hanson shift awkwardly behind her, the shuffling of his boots almost deafening amidst the quiet.

The asari councilor glanced at the others and nodded, her calm demeanor at odds with the frustration seething within Shepard's blood. The Council activated their terminals simultaneously, the asari looking up after completing her task.

"Commander Shepard, know that we will review your intelligence in greater detail. We cannot commit Council forces to an endeavor we know nothing about." Shepard opened her mouth to speak, but the asari held up her hand to forestall any protestations. "We will take the matter under advisement."

The commander watched as the councilors filed out of the chamber, her body tense, livid. Memories of her race to find Saren flooded her mind and Shepard fought the fury that bubbled within. She had thought that she had earned not only their gratitude for saving their lives, but their trust as well. Apparently, she had been wrong. It seemed that no good deed went without punishment and Shepard shook her head irritably. She hoped that they would come to a decision before the Normandy was repaired or she would be left to her own devices in the fight against the Reapers.

Shepard turned on her heel and tromped down the stairs, brushing past Udina and ignoring the inquisitive looks of the bystanders. She had no time to play nice or practice politics. The commander had a job to do and she'd be damned if anything was going to stand in her way.

The group of four crowded into the elevator, Alenko's shoulder brushing against her own. She ignored the familiar sensation of his nearness, a shiver running down her spine, instead turning her attention toward Miranda.

"What the latest on repairs? Can we get underway soon?"

Miranda activated her omni-tool, studying the readout briefly. "Jacob hasn't sent me any new updates. It seems his original estimation still holds. We'll be here for a few days, Shepard."

The commander frowned, feelings of restlessness causing her palms to itch. "Regardless, I want to stop by and see how things are progressing."

Miranda nodded in agreement. "Good idea. Maybe you can encourage the repair crews to work more efficiently."

Shepard shot Miranda a sidelong glance and could have sworn the other woman was trying to hide a smirk.

Hanson bobbed on his toes again, boots squeaking against the metal flooring. "So is it always like this? The Council, I mean. They seem," he paused and considered his words.

"Tentative?" Alenko supplied helpfully.

Hanson nodded. "I was thinking of something more colorful, Commander, but that works too." The corporal frowned. "They've known about the Reapers since Eden Prime and they haven't done anything."

"The Reapers make a better myth than a reality." Shepard snorted, wishing the elevator would move faster. The commander had put up with the Council's crap for long enough and was familiar with their routine. She'd eventually act of her own accord and they'd take the credit. Despite the desire to do so, she wasn't looking forward to the time where she could tell them 'I told you so.' Shepard had a feeling she'd be neck deep in clusterfuck when that time came.

The elevator slid open and onto the Presidium. Shepard continued her rapid pace while the others followed, Hanson stumbling occasionally as he gaped in awe at his surroundings. Foot traffic was surprisingly sparse and the group made their way to another elevator. The commander pushed the button impatiently, eager to examine the progress made on her ship and light some fires if need be.

It seemed that the lifts were moving slower than usual today, and Shepard eyed her surroundings. Little had changed on the Presidium since Sovereign's attack, a fact which didn't surprise her. The keepers seemed just as good at rebuilding as they were maintaining the station.

The commander turned, taking in the view of the lake before her, idly pondering the idea of buying more fish. Her aquarium had remained empty since the last batch died, their bodies floating on top of the water for a week before she remembered she hadn't fed them.

Alenko stepped up next to her, his gaze following the same direction. "Everything okay, Shepard?"

"Copacetic," she muttered.

"You're thinking about the Council's inaction, aren't you?"

Shepard shook her head. "Actually, I was thinking about my fish."

Alenko shot her a quizzical look. He was an individual that was difficult to surprise and the commander allowed herself a mental round of applause.

"Fish?" he asked doubtfully.

She shrugged. "Among other things, yes."

Alenko nodded and turned his gaze back toward the lake. "The Council will come around in time. You'll see."

Shepard suppressed a snort as her blood boiled again. "They were supposed to 'come around' three years ago."

"They must have missed that memo."

The commander nodded, a small smile curling the corners of her mouth. "So it seems." Her stomach chose that quiet moment to growl loudly and Shepard frowned, realizing it was far past her regular mealtime.

Alenko shot her another look, a mischievous glint in his dark eyes. "Hungry? I know a great restaurant on Zakeera if you're interested."

The commander met his eyes, soft and soothing against the maelstrom of her mind. She cocked an eyebrow teasingly. "Are you asking me on a date, Alenko?"

He chuckled softly, the sound sending more shivers down her spine. "Maybe?" He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Tell you what – there's bound to be crew that hasn't eaten lunch yet and I'll invite them along. Technically, it won't be a date."

Shepard waved her hand absentmindedly as they walked back toward the elevator. Hanson and Miranda slipped inside, followed by Alenko and Shepard, the air tense between them.

"Fine." She couldn't help but smile at the look on his face. "But it better be a damn good restaurant."


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Thanks to everyone following along so far. Have a little Jacob and some lunch! No, there is no priiize.

* * *

Chapter 30

Shepard stepped over the morass of interconnecting hoses and around scurrying technicians as she crossed the docking bay to the Normandy. The area was more active than she had previously seen it, and while she was curious as to the reason she ignored it for the time being. The commander had more important issues on her mind; like repairs.

The group of four paused in the Normandy's decontamination chamber. Shepard watched as the white light slithered over her armored body, impatient to get inside and get her hands on an update of some kind. Miranda hadn't received any information from Jacob in the last two hours and that fact was grating on the commander's already frayed nerves. The lack of knowledge coupled with hunger made her even more irritable than usual.

Normandy's airlock door slid open, the soft sigh of the gears barely audible amid the usual scuffle of activity. Joker sat in the pilot's chair, his terminal flashing brightly as he flipped through a series of extranet sites. He acknowledged her presence with a casual wave, the blue glow of EDI's avatar casting bizarre shadows on his scruffy face.

Shepard opened her mouth, ready to spit out a biting comment, but changed her mind as she heard the familiar sound of military-issued boots marching up the gangway. She turned to face Jacob, a data pad in his hand and a frown on his face. He shot her a look of mild annoyance and shoved the pad into her hands.

"This is where we're at so far, Commander."

Miranda made her way to Shepard's side, slightly craning her neck to view the reports. "It seems that we're ahead of schedule."

The commander ignored the smell of her sweet perfume and violation of her personal space. Shepard had long ago grown used to the other woman's presence and her need to retain some form of control, even if it bordered on obnoxious at times.

The commander skimmed the data briefly, her stomach rumbling once more. "Good. I'm glad to see that you have everything under control here."

Jacob snorted and shifted his weight to the other foot. "You sure you want to say that before checking the account balance?"

Shepard glanced up at the former alliance officer, her face neutral. "Are you going to elaborate, or do I have to guess?"

He cocked his head to the side, shifting his weight yet again. "I know you ordered Garrus to stock up on ordnance, but I think he enjoys his job a little too much."

The commander kept her gaze locked with his and raised a single, slender eyebrow questioningly.

"He went out and got a shitload of new gadgets to keep the entire crew busy for the next week. Plus," Jacob frowned slightly. "He dropped a nice chunk of credits on a new mod – supposed to improve the power draw."

Miranda pointed to the data pad, slender fingers almost delicate against the harsh yellow glow of the information feed. "It looks like Serviceman Goering went with him. Gabby too."

"Goering knows her tech." Alenko stated. He crossed the short distance to Shepard's other side and studied the data pad still in the commander's hands. "And Gabby's impressed with me her engineering expertise."

"So what's the problem, Jacob?"

"There's not really a problem, Commander. I just thought you should be aware of his spending habits."

Shepard shook her head, disbelieving. "So he bought a few things. I'd rather be poor than dead. What's the real issue here?"

Jacob shrugged and had the decency to look almost embarrassed. "While he was busy running around the Citadel shopping, I was stuck here, trying to 'encourage' the repair crew to move faster. They gave me some guff at first, but then I put Grunt to work. It seems that having a krogan pace restlessly around the ship is a good motivator."

"And my ship's armor?"

"In the works, Commander." A sly smile creased his face. "I sent Kelly over to a dealer who specializes in custom work. Barely an hour gone and she came back with an initial estimate. I contacted the owner, Zimm, and went ahead and made a payment. We should have the first pieces of plating within two days."

The commander nodded approvingly, not a bit surprised by the success of her yeoman. "You've tested his product?"

Jacob nodded. "I've worked with him before. He's a pain in the ass, but on the Citadel he's the best at what he does – that's why his prices are so high." He scratched his head absently. "I don't know for sure, but I think Kelly used her 'charms' while she was there."

Shepard frowned. "Do I even want to know?"

"He's listed our order as priority and," Jacob chuckled, "Kelly came back with flowers."

Miranda snorted. "Well it's good to see that she's useful."

Jacob flicked a glance at Miranda, a hint of humor in his eyes. "Something wrong, Miranda? I thought everyone liked Ms. Chambers?"

Shepard thought she could almost feel the other woman bristle in irritation. Outwardly, however, the former Cerberus operative maintained a cool façade, and brushed past Jacob on her way to the CIC.

"Of course, Jacob. I approve of anyone who is able to follow orders."

The commander observed the men surrounding her, their eyes fixed on Miranda as she strode confidently down the gangway. Gentle curves swayed sensually as she made her way to the elevator and pushed the button. Jacob's eyes were still fixed on her as she entered the lift, turning around with a wry smile on her face as the doors closed.

Jacob looked down at the ground momentarily, as if noticing his feet for the first time, then glanced back at the commander only to meet her expectant gaze.

"Do you have anything else to report?"

"No, Commander." He almost choked.

"Good. Now that Miranda's here, you can have some time for leave." Shepard switched off the data pad and set it on the console next to Joker. "Alenko knows a good restaurant on Zakeera. You in?"

Jacob shot a brief glance back towards the elevator before answering. "I'm game, Shepard."

O o O o O o O

The commander sighed in resignation as they entered the Dark Star Lounge, the music overly loud and repetitive. Alenko had recommended a different restaurant on a lower level, but Jacob emphatically announced that the Dark Star had the best old-world Buffalo wings around, and Hanson jumped on his bandwagon. Shepard went along with their preferences if only to opt out of dinner alone with Alenko. While she hated to admit that the thought appealed to her, she could foresee the potential for greater complication looming. She had to remain focused on the mission no matter how much she wanted to be sidetracked.

Jacob led them to a secluded corner booth, shadowed from the dazzling lights of the dance floor and partially obscuring their party from view. Shepard slid in, her back to the wall and eyes scanning the perimeter. Hanson plopped down beside her, punching up a holo of the menu. Alenko sat on her other side while Jacob scooted in next to the corporal, hunger plain on his face.

Shepard perused the menu along with Hanson, his excitement infectious as he tried to decide what else, beside wings, he would order. Alenko appeared to relax slightly, leaning forward on the table as he half-listened to Hanson's ramblings. Jacob grew impatient and flagged down the first server he saw.

An asari waitress eventually wandered over to their table, body flickering as the bright lights reflected off her blue skin. Jacob ordered two servings of wings while Hanson requested only one. Alenko decided on the special of the day, a dish even the server had trouble pronouncing. She shot Shepard a curious glance after the commander ordered a traditional asari dish, but her face quickly closed over, returning once more to her duties.

The group waited impatiently for their food to arrive, attempting to satisfy their hunger by sipping on their drinks. Shepard and Alenko stuck with water for the time being, but the commander had to suppress the need to ridicule Hanson for the fruity concoction he had ordered. Jacob, however, had no such compunctions. He chided Hanson mercilessly while taking swigs of his beer, the corporal brushing off his sarcasm with good humor.

Shepard glanced down at her omni-tool as it pinged. Miranda had sent her an update on the Normandy. Repairs were proceeding apace, the crews now energized, or intimidated, by her presence. Gabby had installed Garrus' new mod and they were busy calibrating it. Miranda reported that they hoped to test it as early as tomorrow.

The commander nodded appreciatively, if only to herself.

Alenko shot her a questioning look. "News?"

"Just Miranda with an update. Nothing to get worked up about."

Hanson pulled a colorful straw from his glass. "Did she say when we'll get the new armor? Jacob gave Zimm my instructions, although I didn't recognize some of the materials used in the original Reaper debris, and it won't be as strong, but it's still better than what we've got."

"Don't you ever stop to breathe?" Jacob asked.

"Don't you ever shut up?" the corporal shot back.

Jacob smiled, only slightly impressed, and took another pull off his bottle.

"Like I said, it's nothing new so don't get worked up about it. I'd like to enjoy my supper." Shepard leaned back in the padded booth, the material squeaking against her armor as she did so. "The Normandy will be grounded for a few more days, so try to find something else to worry about."

Hanson nodded and sipped on his pink drink, contemplating. The mood at their table had somehow turned more somber and the music of the lounge filled the silence. Shepard studied the other patrons, various races mixing and meeting with others. An elcor plodded through the entrance accompanied by two asari, a volus ate with a turian, and groups of humans were speckled throughout.

Shepard refocused her attention as she saw their server approaching, a large tray of food balanced on her palm. She delivered their meals and refilled the drinks before once more attending to her other customers, leaving the group to dive into their food. The commander took her first bite, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile as the decadent flavors flooded her mouth.

The mood had not changed, but was ignored in favor of supper. It was Alenko who broke the silence, busy twirling his fork in the creamy noodles covering his plate.

"Shepard, I still can't believe what Young pulled. I should've paid more attention."

The commander frowned, the taste of her meal only slightly diminished by the turn in conversation, but she managed to continue on as if Alenko had said nothing. She wasn't surprised by his feelings of responsibility, nor the anger he felt at a loss of control, but she hadn't expected him to bring it up in public. Shepard mentally shrugged. If he wanted to lament his regrets, she wasn't going to stop him.

"No one knew, Commander." Hanson dropped the remains of a greasy wing onto his plate and licked the sauce from his fingers loudly. "EDI didn't detect him. I didn't. How were you supposed to know?"

"Because it's his job," Jacob snorted. He wiped his hands vigorously on an already soiled napkin and took another swig of beer.

"Commander Alenko was suddenly transferred to Security Chief and I didn't know?" Hanson quipped, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"He was Young's commanding officer – even worked with the guy before. He's directly responsible for the crew under him." Jacob dove into his meal, the bones of chicken wings slowly piling up.

"Oh, I see." Hanson took another sip of his fruity concoction. "So when you got sick with that bug – what was it, Mindoirian flu? – and puked all over Miranda, that was Commander Alenko's fault too? Or was it Miranda's?" The corporal paused, an exaggerated look of confusion on his face. "Where exactly _are_ you in the chain of command?"

"Enough." Shepard's voice was edged with steel and sliced through their antagonism with quiet efficiency. "As the Normandy's commanding officer, everything that occurs on that ship is my responsibility." She shot Jacob and Hanson a pointed look. "Young was under my command, just like Alenko, just like you two. I'll have words with anyone who says otherwise."

"Yes, Commander."

"Sorry, Commander."

Shepard felt Alenko shift next to her, still twirling his fork in the noodles, a frown on his face. She turned back to her own meal, finishing the remains quickly and downing her water. The commander understood how he felt, but it wasn't necessary to discuss the issue further. Young had succeeded in fooling all of them. It was his purpose.

"Still, though," Hanson wiped his mouth on the napkin, blotchy with sauce. "Even though he kicked my ass, I don't hate the guy."

Jacob shot the corporal an incredulous look. "Say again?"

Hanson shrugged nonchalantly and grabbed another wing. "What? It's not like he wanted to sabotage the mission. He was programmed to."

"So that just makes it alright?" Jacob frowned. "How is that okay?"

"He didn't know what he was doing." Hanson stated. "I still have to review his implants in greater detail, but from the look of it, the Reaper tech overrode any sort of self control, substituting their impulses for Young's."

"That doesn't make him blameless." Alenko's voice was low, barely above a whisper, and Jacob leaned forward in order to hear him across the table. The sentinel sat quietly, still contemplating his meal as it cooled rapidly.

"It doesn't?" Hanson asked curiously, startled from his dinner.

"Saren was a willing tool of the Reapers. Young could've been too." Alenko finally took a bite of noodles, his eyes wandering around the room, abandoning any attempt at further conversation.

Jacob snorted again and tossed his napkin on the table. "Well if that's the case, then someone really humped the bunk."

Anger swept over Shepard like a firestorm, heat bubbling in her veins. Jacob's comments were grating on her nerves, surprisingly so as he was not usually filled with such venom. The commander reined in her temper and faced him.

"I said _enough_, Mr. Taylor." She pushed her plate aside, smiling inwardly with twisted satisfaction at the astonished looks on the other men's faces. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm done here."

Alenko stood to let her out, the cushions of the booth squeaking loudly as he did so. Shepard met his eyes briefly as she brushed against him, a flicker of anger in his dark gaze. Her stomach fluttered but for a moment, the warmth of his body all too near. The commander bit her bottom lip and looked away, focusing on the scalding heat of her anger instead.

"Commander? Commander Shepard?"

A perky voice called her attention as Shepard scanned the crowd, frowning upon recognizing the nefarious interloper. Khalisah Bint Sinen al-Jilani of Westerlund News approached her, waving her arm frantically. The commander realized that she had been in one of the few humans intermingled with a group of asari, dancing atrociously on the far side of the bar.

The reporter smiled broadly as she reached her destination, sidling up to Shepard like they were old war buddies. The commander crossed her arms and eyed the other woman, the memory of their last meeting all too fresh in her mind.

"Commander Shepard, so the rumors were true? You are back on the Citadel and," she took in the uniforms of the men at the table. "It looks like you're working once more with the Alliance. I guess anyone can buy your allegiance nowadays if they have enough credits."

The heat in her veins boiled over as the firestorm of fury surged anew. Shepard released her control, choosing to immerse herself in the impulsive demands of her anger. She let loose with a right hook, tight fist firmly connecting with the reporter's jaw. A sharp jolt of pain shot up her arm, but the commander ignored it, favoring instead the delicious sound of the other woman as her body hit the floor.

Ms. al-Jilani glared back up at her, tentatively touching a bloody lip as she lay sprawled at Shepard's feet. "You bitch!"

The commander scanned the room again briefly, nodding slightly in satisfaction. "No camera this time? Where's your story?"

The reported huffed, grunting as she tried to pull herself up and failed, tripping on the hem of her dress. "I don't need my camera to get a story. I have witnesses," she spat. "I'll have you charged with assault!"

The commander looked down at her and smiled viciously, a predator toying with its prey. "Consider yourself lucky. You're not shot. As a Spectre it's perfectly legal for me to do that."

Shepard shot al-Jilani one last glance as she strode away, smiling once again at the look of pure contempt on the other woman's face. Perhaps dinner at the Dark Star had been worthwhile after all.


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

* * *

Chapter 31

_Darkness surrounded her, the black liquid feel of it oozing across her skin and up her spine. Her body was absent of warmth, feeling almost as it she was floating amidst the void. Direction was nonexistent, and her mind ran rampant with fear and anxiety before quickly collecting her thoughts, jumbled and cluttered within the confines of disorientation. _

_She shifted subtly, trying to identify her surroundings as a glimmer of light slowly trickled into her vision. Flickers of orange and red slowly came into view, licking up the outlines of a pale blue orb that dwindled before her. Her eyes adjusted to the glow, slowly, agonizingly so, as if time had no meaning in her current state. She pondered, listlessly, deciding that this was a dream from long ago that had never quite vanished from her memory._

_The glowing orb grew brighter in her vision, the scene shifting before her as it exploded in a bright riot of color, the blast knocking her back, tumbling further into the dark void. She felt the cold once more envelop her body, tendrils of impersonal ice filling her veins and rendering her immobile. Shepard steadied herself, attempting to take a deep breath and failing, the remnants of her lungs no longer functional._

_She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. There was no air and no one to hear her fear. Panic, foreign and aching, filled her mind and she tried to reach out, but her arms would not respond. She kicked, fighting against the restraints that bound her, succeeding only in sending bolts of searing pain through her limbs. Agony racked her body as emptiness flooded her system, misery the only concept she was able to cling to._

_Light, an echo of sound, filtered through her prison, memories of fear coalescing before her mind's eye. A chain of pathetic individuals paraded before her, the lights of their lives fading into nothingness as Shepard drank in their essence. Giant metal tubing lined the walls, confining her, melding with her, feeding her. The voices of many flitted through her consciousness, observing, analyzing with cool, calculating alien-ness. One voice stood out among many and she felt, rather than heard it thunder through the remnants of her auditory canal._

"_**We are the harbinger of your perfection."**_

Shepard bolted upright, sweat dripping from her face as she wiped the shreds of the nightmare away. Her sheets were damp and tangled around her limbs. She wrenched them violently from her body, throwing her legs over the side of the bed and cradling her head in her hands. The commander sat in the dark of her cabin for a time, forcing her body to relax, her stomach to unclench before she released its contents onto the floor.

It had been years since she had had such a vivid dream. Shepard warily brushed her arms, assuring herself that feel of metal tubing was only in her mind, that her body was still her own. She sighed heavily, tasting the fear on her breath, and once again wiped her hand down her face.

The commander reached into the nearby drawer, drawing out a small tin and cloth, the lid making a small _clink_ as she sat in on the bedside table. The acrid scent filled her nostrils and Shepard reached for her boots, the last vestiges of cold still clinging to her body. She dipped the cloth into the polish and began to scrub vigorously, the familiarity of the ancient act slowly soothing her frayed nerves.

O o O o O o O

"Disengage stealth systems, Joker. We want them to know we're en route."

Joker nodded, his fingers flying across the console gracefully. "Aye, aye, Commander."

Miranda waited patiently behind her, arms crossed as she surveyed the scene. Shepard had expected her presence during their approach. It had become her habit, as much as the commander's, to be at the helm whenever they arrived at their intended destination. Given the last few days, Shepard was glad of her company, although she would never admit it.

"It looks as if the salarians have already arrived." Miranda nodded approvingly. "That's something."

EDI's avatar flickered brightly. "Long range scanners detect the presence of a massive assemblage of ships."

Shepard turned back to Miranda, her voice hard. "It looks like the flotilla's on their way."

"You didn't think they would show?"

The commander met Miranda's eyes, her face betraying nothing. "I'm waiting to see how much of their forces they'll commit."

The former Cerberus officer inclined her head in understanding. Shepard was not on the best of terms with the quarians and they were unsure how much weight Tali's voice could carry. However, the fact that the fleet had arrived was a positive sign. Shepard would take what she could get.

"Any sign of the Alliance?" Shepard bit her lower lip, controlling the concern in her voice.

"Nothing yet, Commander – wait a sec." Joker shifted as he directed his attention to a flashing light on his right. "Looks like a message coming through. Let me get it up on the display for you."

Shepard frowned as she leaned forward, the yellow lettering of the message throwing odd shadows about the cockpit. Miranda leaned in next to her, the sweet scent of her perfume wafting subtly through the air. The commander sighed irritably, the message throwing one more kink in her already fragile plans.

"He's not coming?"

Shepard snorted. "The 'Alliance' isn't coming, not officially. Hackett's sending us what forces he can spare, a sort of covert operation. He wants to be in on the meeting, though, so make sure our channels are secure."

"Roger that, Commander."

Miranda caught Shepard's gaze, her own eyes alight with curiosity and concern. The commander guessed she was calculating their potential for success at that very moment, the lack of intra-galactic cooperation skewing their chances sharply. Shepard turned and stalked down the gangway with Miranda in tow, leaving Joker to his duties, EDI's blue avatar ever hovering near him.

"Have Alenko join us in the comm. room when the representatives arrive. As our Alliance liaison, he should be present in Hackett's absence."

"Very well, Commander." Miranda activated her omni-tool, the yellow glare barely interrupting the steady stream of flashing lights as they progressed through the CIC. Shepard paused in front of her personal terminal, Yeoman Chambers shifting her attention as she arrived.

"Commander, you have unread messages."

Shepard waved her off, ignoring Ms. Chamber's reminder and Miranda's presence behind her. She skimmed over the highlighted headings, clicking on those which seemed most important. Captain Kirrahe confirmed his presence for the meeting, as well as the scheduled time. His shuttle was due to arrive within the hour. The commander couldn't help but smile when she saw that Mordin would be accompanying him. She had missed him and his familiarity would be a comfort in the days to come.

"Commander Alenko has received and acknowledged your order, Commander."

Shepard grunted at Miranda in response, continuing to review her messages. She had received notification from Tali, but paused when she noted a second message from the fleet. Clicking on the heading, she scanned the message from Admiral Raan. Unsurprisingly the quarian flotilla was divided on the topic of aid. However, what _was_ surprising was that they were divided not on whether to provide aid, but how much. Shepard blinked, grateful for this bit of luck and that assistance would be provided from what she considered a wild card. Occasionally, she was good at gambling.

Admiral Raan had also agreed to the meeting's scheduled time and place and she and Tali would rendezvous with the Normandy within the hour. Shepard punched in a series of commands, notifying ship personnel of the meeting and ordering additional security measures be put in place. Her screen flickered after a moment, confirmations of her orders flooding in. She allowed herself another smile, satisfied with the efficiency of her staff.

"Yeoman?"

Ms. Chambers paused at her work station and gave the commander her full attention. "Ma'am?"

"Ms. Lawson and I will be in the comm. room awaiting the arrival of our guests. I want to be informed the moment we detect their approach."

"Yes, Commander. I'll relay the order to Joker." She keyed a series of buttons on her terminal. "Shall we utilize silent running once the 'guests' are aboard?"

Shepard felt Miranda's eyes on her and nodded. "Yes. Once the salarians and quarians are on board, inform their respective transports of their arrival and our intent."

"Affirmative."

Shepard ignored the jumble of junk mail that had accumulated and flicked off her terminal, quickly turning on her heel and making her way to the comm. room. Miranda followed close behind her, high heels clicking against the metal flooring. The commander never understood how the woman fought in such absurd footwear, but after their first hostile encounter together, had decided that it wasn't a mystery worth pursuing.

O o O o O o O

Commander Shepard turned her gaze on the individuals before her, the light from the central display illuminating their faces slightly. A map of the Dholen system wavered above the table, the planets Haestrom and Gotha brightly highlighted, as well as Charoum's orbital station 98R. Captain Kirrahe had just completed his report of the STG's activities, as well as their work in the featured areas. According to his data, the STG had established bunkers to house Tali's field generators, thus creating the triangulation necessary to focus the power of the sun's radiation. Kirrahe sat down curtly as he finished, and Shepard could almost feel Tali beam with pride.

"And just how will this triangulation work?" Hackett's disembodied voice floated through the speakers, flooding the room with his scratchy baritone.

Shepard gestured to Tali who nodded slightly. "Admiral Hackett, this is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya vas Normandy. I believe Shepard has provided you with the data we acquired on Haestrom over the past few years, as well as the more recent comparative analyses I've completed?"

"Yes."

Tali made a guttural sound as if she was clearing her throat. "Establishing a field of focus using Dholen's own dark energy fluctuations will greatly enhance the sun's radiation, stripping any ship within that field of its shields within minutes. With the data Shepard received from the Murky Water Reaper, and from Young's implants, we know that the Reapers will strike in this very system within the next few days. When they arrive, and with numbers we can only estimate, the ability to lower their shields – or even eliminate them completely – will greatly increase our odds of success."

Silence filled the room as everyone appeared to mull over Tali's explanation. No one had stated aloud that the Reapers were going to arrive, although all knew it as an eventuality. Shepard looked to Miranda who wore a slight frown on her face, data pad in hand.

Hackett's voice filtered through the speakers once more. "Won't they realize their shields are being disabled? Move out of the area of focus?"

Shepard nodded. She had planned for this. "We have a number of probes that we've modified to broadcast a virus adapted from Preying Mouth. In short, it destroys a ship's ability to maneuver."

"Used in conjunction with Young's shielding virus, it worked effectively to bring down the Murky Water Reaper." Alenko shifted in his seat, his eyes toward the ceiling speakers as if he was talking to Hackett in person.

Shepard heard Hackett make a guttural sound through the speakers, a slight burst of static accompanying it. "Yes, I see you've sent us your latest updates. I'll forward this data to Captain Archibald. He'll be leading the task force I've sent to assist you."

"How many ships, Admiral?" Shepard tried to bite back the bitterness in her voice, but only slightly succeeded.

"Without the full support of the Council, I was only able to dispatch the SSV Shasta along with all the cruisers I could spare. The total task force is only ten ships, but all are loaded to the gills with our most advanced weaponry."

The commander ignored the emptiness pooling in her gut, silently cursing the Council for their inaction. "Thank you, Admiral. I know you did what you could."

"Captain Archibald has orders to contact you for further instruction once they reach the outskirts of the Dholen system. I'm putting him under your command, Shepard. I suspect you should hear from him by the day's end."

"We'll be waiting." Shepard nodded, if only to herself. She knew this operation would be big, but the reality was just now starting to sink in.

"What number did the Admiralty Board finally decide on?" Tali's voice cut through Shepard's thoughts, bringing her attention back to bear on the issues at hand.

Admiral Raan turned her helmeted head toward Tali, the light of her voice box flickering off the other quarian's mask. "Five hundred."

"Five hundred?" Alenko didn't bother to hide the exasperation in his voice. "But the flotilla has over fifty thousand ships!"

Raan focused her attention on the Alliance liaison. "And of those ships, barely one third are equipped for a space battle. Most have been converted and refitted repeatedly, salvaged and scrapped over and over so often that they would be of no use to you." She set her data pad down on the table, almost as if in resignation. "The Admiralty Board has held back those ships that are needed to protect our people. Those that are dispatched will divert from the flotilla before it proceeds to an alternate, safer destination."

Shepard rubbed her forehead briefly in thought, her calculations of success growing slimmer by the hour. "Very well." Her voice was resigned. She would make do with what she had, she always did. "Have your probes been fitted with the virus?"

Tali nodded, sending an unrecognizable look toward Raan. "Our technicians are recalibrating our probes to your specifications. We'll have all we need and more to send out the virus. It seems that we are able to spare our probes, at least."

Shepard nodded, once again rubbing her forehead. "At least that's something."

"Any word from Samara? Rachni?" Mordin tilted his head slightly, speaking up for the first time during their meeting.

The commander shook her head. "Her last communiqué stated that she would arrive at these coordinates, but as you can see, she's not here yet."

"Hmm." He blinked rapidly. "Krogan contact? Will need additional support."

Shepard nodded again. "Wrex gave me the same answer as Samara, but he's not here yet either."

"Given their lack of reliable interstellar transport, I fear the krogan may be late in coming." Miranda pursed her lips as she studied her data pad. "A krogan exodus, specifically that of a powerful clan, may cause a stir in the DMZ."

The commander repressed a snort of laughter. She could only imagine the many different problems Wrex and his people could create by trying to get to her side. However, Wrex had told Shepard he would be there, ready for battle, and she believed him. That krogan had yet to let her down.

"So this leaves us with two small fleets of ships, and three small teams of marines to cover ground forces?" Kirrahe made a clucking sound as he shook his head. "What word from the Council?"

"Nothing as of yet, and we can't rely on them to make a decision anytime soon." Shepard straightened as she sat forward in her chair. "We must ready ourselves for attack based on what we know. You have your assignments." She saw heads nod around the table. "I suggest we adjourn for a short break, and resume in fifteen standard minutes. I do believe we have yet to go over assignments for the ground forces?"

"Correct." Admiral Raan inclined her head.

"Well then," Shepard stood and refrained from the urge to stretch. "I suggest after the break we tackle that particular topic."


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: Bioware still owns all.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, drakontion, and to everyone following along so far. As always, feel free to post your thoughts.

Chapter 32

The glare from the bright lighting was growing aggravating and causing the pressure behind her eyes to pulsate, mutating into a vibrant pounding as steady and consistent as a volus accountant. Shepard watched the two aliens prattle back and forth, the absurdity of their argument not lost on the commander or any of her staff present. She cradled her head in her hands, the rhythmic drum of a burgeoning migraine doing little to distract her thoughts. The commander turned to Alenko who shot her a questioning look in return.

Shepard scanned the room, squinting slightly against the lights, and studied the reactions of the other quarians present. While Admiral Raan continued to press the issue of flotilla security, Kal'Reegar and Tali remained sitting silently by her side, Tali wringing her hands. Mordin cocked his head slightly, lower eyelids flickering rapidly as Captain Kirrahe changed topics repeatedly. The commander hid a smile as the word "cloaca" came to mind again.

"Enough."

Her voice was soft yet gruff, and both Raan and Kirrahe turned their attention toward her as if joining forces to face a new attacker. A single slender eyebrow rose, the stress on Shepard's face plain as she considered them. Neither one was willing to back down from the other, but the commander was far too irritated to judge a pissing contest at the moment.

"Commander? You have something to add?"

_Cloaca_.

Shepard brushed aside the thought, waving off Kirrahe's question with a casual hand. Too frustrated to care about the look on his face, she sat back in her seat, ignoring the throbbing behind her eyes.

"I said _enough_."

"Commander, we have to-"

"We have to agree on the distribution of ground forces."

"That is what we're discussing, Captain Shepard."

The commander shifted in her seat, the drumming behind her eyes increasing exponentially. "You're worried about flotilla security, and Kirrahe can't stay on topic to save his life – or all of ours."

"And just what do you suggest?"

Shepard punched a series of keys and the holographic system map once more popped up above the central display, the sudden illumination causing her to wince.

"Captain Archibald and his forces will be arriving by the end of the day. Each task force carries a hefty compliment of marines. We combine his forces with those of the quarians and STG, a specialized technician assigned to each detachment."

"Quarians are not trained for interspecies operations."

_Cloaca_.

"Not all, no." Shepard punched in another sequence of keys, illuminating the locations of the field generators. "Kal'Reegar has worked with me on numerous occasions. He will lead the team on Gotha and Hanson will be assigned as his specialist."

Reegar shifted in his seat and Shepard guessed his attention was suddenly more focused on the meeting than it had been.

"Legion will be dispatched to orbital station 98R with a small detachment of marines. The greatest threat to 98R is the Reapers, specifically if they are able to locate the positions of the field generators. In that case, 98R will most likely be the first to be destroyed. Captain Archibald will position his forces in Charoum's shadow, minimizing the risk of detection."

Shepard glanced around the room for questions, only continuing after a brief pause.

"Tali will lead the third team on Haestrom. She has also had ample opportunity to coordinate _interspecies operations_ and will function as the tech assigned to that generator. Reegar? Tali?" Shepard turned toward them and tried to meet their gaze as best she was able. "Select your teams and prepare to head planet-side within twenty-four standard hours."

The other two quarians exchanged quick glances before Tali activated her omni-tool. "What are the mission parameters, Shepard?"

The commander nodded, chewing her lip in thought. "Primary objectives are to maintain bunker security and field integrity. We can't afford to lose control of any of the generators."

Reegar shifted in his chair again. "And the STG, ma'am?"

Shepard turned her gaze back to Kirrahe. The salarian captain had returned to his seat, blinking rapidly. "Do you have enough for three teams?"

Kirrahe shook his head, but it was Mordin who spoke. "STG forces small, infiltration specialty. Recommend use for bunker security, last line of defense."

The commander considered Mordin momentarily, her mind working. "Split them in half – one team to Gotha, the other to Haestrom."

Mordin inclined his head once, eyes sparkling intensely. "Teams familiar. Will work better. You'll see."

Shepard cocked an eyebrow at the last, but said nothing, instead turning her attention once more back to Raan and Kirrahe. "Questions?"

Admiral Raan glanced briefly at Tali and Reegar before addressing Shepard. "What about additional ground forces? What can we expect?"

"Wrex and his krogan are scheduled to rendezvous with us. His forces will be deployed as soon as they arrive."

"And the rachni? Can we count on them?"

The corners of Shepard's lips curled into a barely visible smile. "We can count on Samara."

Raan and Kirrahe both seemed to consider the commander's plan, Kirrahe pausing momentarily before inclining his head in agreement.

"Very well." Kirrahe stood, fatigue lining his face. "Mordin and I will select two teams for assignment."

Mordin stood as well, his chair scraping against the metal flooring with the force of his energy. "Can coordinate from Normandy. Will be staying on with the commander."

Captain Kirrahe blinked rapidly yet again, fatigue almost evaporating with his surprise. "You're staying?"

"Correct." Mordin pushed his chair in, causing the metal to squeal once more. Shepard winced as the thundering in her head exploded.

Admiral Raan stood up as well. "I shall inform the Admiralty Board of our plans. They will want to be aware of the situation."

Tali stood up, grasping Raan's hands with a familiarity born of long acquaintanceship. "Auntie Raan?"

Shepard observed the women interacting, a slight feeling of discomfort creeping up her spine. She was rarely, if ever, comfortable with public displays of affection.

Raan squeezed Tali's hands visibly, the tremor in her voice audible. "You will be safe, and you _will_ come back to the flotilla."

Shepard turned her head too late to miss their hug, ignoring the hitch in Tali's voice as she said good-bye. At this point the commander's discomfort, as well as her migraine, was palpable. She nodded in dismissal as both Raan and Kirrahe exited the comm. room, relief washing through her at their departure. As if by magic, the pounding behind her eyes stopped, only to start again with renewed vigor. The commander leaned forward again, head cradled in her hands as she looked expectantly at Reegar and Tali.

"So who's on your team?"

O o O o O o O

They had reviewed the files on both the quarian marines and STG members, only able to guess at the number of Alliance marines they would be able to dispatch. Shepard kept her estimates practical, focusing on a more conservative number, unwilling to get her hopes up. The amount of krogan Wrex brought to the table was anyone's guess, as well as the rachni. The commander frowned. She hated unknowns.

Miranda had excused herself from additional meetings in order to double check the Normandy's upgrades and crew preparations. Shepard guessed her XO was as sick of committees and meetings as she was, and secretly envied the other woman her current duties. However, closed sessions did have benefits and the commander's eyes slowly drifted toward the man beside her, dark eyes sparkling intently. Shepard sighed inwardly, quickly refocusing her attention and doing her best to ignore the bronze skin and chiseled jaw all too close.

Alenko crowded next to her, reviewing the data pad that Shepard held in her hand. Reegar conferred with Tali and Hanson, Mordin occasionally providing his input. Legion remained apart from the group, silently recording and analyzing the data presented it. Shepard glanced over at the synthetic, curious as to its take on the situation.

"Legion," the commander cocked her head slightly and the geth's optics flared. "Do you have an opinion?"

Its optics flared again, head plates fluttering slightly. "Shepard-Commander, we have reached a consensus. Current strategy optimal. Probability of success –"

The commander raised her hand, cutting Legion off. The last thing she wanted to hear was a calculation of their odds.

"Thank you, Legion." She turned her attention toward Tali and Reegar, their voices raised in frustration.

"They aren't going to want to work with him. He's geth!"

"Quarian Marine Commander Kal'Reegar refers to us as male. Query –"

Shepard held her hand up and cut Legion off again as she looked to Reegar. "Is there a problem?"

A burst of static filtered through his helmet as he sighed heavily and leaned back in the chair, red enviro-suit creaking slightly against the fabric. "Sorry, ma'am, but my people are going to have a hard time working side by side with a geth."

Shepard nodded, understanding. She had hoped this wouldn't be too much of a problem. "What about your team on Haestrom? They worked with Legion before. Any chance they can be assigned to 98R?"

"Yeah," he sighed again, the scratching sound of his suit's air filters grating against Shepard's ears. "I can do that."

"Good," the commander nodded succinctly. "They make not like it, but it'll have to do."

Hanson leaned forward in his chair, fair hair partially obscuring his eyes. "So let me see if I got everything straight. We use the dark energy arc to eliminate kinetic barriers while the probes simultaneously deploy both the Preying Mouth and 'shielding' viruses. Correct?"

"Correct."

"And ground forces will be deployed, one specialist for each team, to protect the bunkers on Haestrom, Gotha, and orbital platform 98R. Do I have it right so far?"

Shepard nodded. "You do."

"And then we maintain field stability and bunker security, all the while hoping for reinforcements from the krogan, rachni, _and _the Council, and hope the Reapers don't notice our existence?"

Shepard nodded again. "I'm glad you understand, Corporal."

"Something you wish to add?" Alenko asked, his head still bowed as he continued to study the information before him.

Hanson shrugged nonchalantly. "No, Sir. I was just checking."

Reegar set his data pad down on the table, crossing his arms in a thoughtful gesture. "I'm no tech, Corporal. How exactly are these viruses going to work?"

Hanson glanced to Tali who gestured back to him. He nodded appreciatively. "The 'shielding' virus, as we like to call it, blocks AI from recognizing a hack job, preventing additional firewalls from being erected and drastically increasing the ability of a lesser AI, or even an organic, to complete a hack, download a virus, extract data, what have you. It will allow us to greater freedom of movement when engaging in cyber-warfare and a decreased likelihood that delivery of additional viruses will be undetected.

"The Preying Mouth virus destroys a ship's ability to maneuver. With the Reapers, from what I've been able to tell, it destroys the connections controlling movement. However, because Reapers are a cybernetic construct, we still have the organic components to worry about. Fortunately, with their shields down, they won't be as formidable. In theory."

Shepard waited Reegar's for reaction, giving Hanson time to draw breath. The corporal continued to lean forward in his chair, almost as energetic as Mordin. She turned to the salarian doctor, a look of approval on his face as he studiously observed Hanson.

Reegar grunted, nodding slowly. "Okay, so how are all these viruses delivered?"

Hanson smiled enthusiastically. "While you all were meeting earlier, I coordinated with the quarian techs over on the Rayya. It seems the flotilla has an excess of probes, so they're being modified to carry and deliver the viruses." He frowned, thin lines crinkling across his brow. "The probes may not be recognizable as a threat to the Reapers, but they'll probably, most likely, be destroyed accidentally – either by crossfire, or collision, or possibly even the dark energy arc – erm, triangulation."

Reegar grunted again, his expression unreadable behind his opaque mask. "Okay, so we have a lot of probes."

"They'll be placed in key positions throughout the system for optimal viral delivery. We hope to test the first few probes within the hour."

"Inform me of those results as soon as you have them, Hanson." Shepard jotted down a note on her data pad, a reminder for later.

"Aye, aye, Commander." Hanson leaned over the table next to Tali, eyeing the data pad she had set aside. While Shepard enjoyed his enthusiasm, she sometimes wondered where it came from. The corporal seemed far too optimistic for the mission that lay ahead. "Who's on my team?"

"Here." Tali punched a sequence of keys and handed the pad to Hanson who scanned it almost hungrily. "Kal will be commanding his standard squad on Gotha – your team. I believe you have worked with them before. They are a highly trained and cohesive unit."

Mordin made a guttural sound, clearing his throat. "Not too cohesive. Will need to work with STG. Krogan, if-when they arrive."

"Not a problem, Doc," Reegar shifted again, the lights glinting off his masked helmet as he nodded. "I may not have worked with the STG before, but I know how they operate. We'll get it done right."

Shepard watched as Tali laid a hand on Reegar's shoulder, the familiarity between them obvious. She turned toward Alenko, the memory of their last night together inadvertently crossing her mind and Shepard felt her face flush with warmth. She looked away quickly, only to meet the knowing gaze of Mordin.

"It's alright Kal. Mordin is just concerned about the coming mission. We all are." Shepard didn't miss the comfort in Tali's voice, the closeness between the two quarians. "I only wish I could be on Gotha with you."

The commander snorted at the last. Alenko shot her a quizzical look as he glanced up from the data pad, dark gaze searching hers. Tali and Reegar seemed to ignore her slight outburst, appearing only to have eyes for each other.

"Sensor readings indicate increased environmental suit energy output. Cooling units activated due to elevated body temperature. Query –"

Shepard turned to Legion, yet again holding up her hand for silence. "Let it be, Legion."

Alenko caught her gaze again, mirth tugging at the corners of his mouth. He barely inclined his head toward Shepard in understanding, holding her attention a moment longer before studying his data pad once more.

Mordin made a slight clucking sound from across the table, shaking his head curtly. "Elevation of quarian body temperature potentially harmful. Possibility of illness. Onset of disease." He cocked his head to the side jerkily. "Must resume research. Never did find origins of scale itch."


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all, sadly.

A/N: This chapter is rated M for content. Happy Valentine's Day! Enjoy!

Chapter 33

The chair creaked slightly as Shepard leaned back, setting the data pad on her desk. She closed her eyes, bright pinpricks of light blossoming behind her lids as she rubbed her face, strain evident in the tightness of her shoulders. The commander had been reviewing Miranda's report, studying the Normandy's system upgrades and battle readiness. They were as prepared as they could be, but the coming battle worried her. They didn't have the numbers to take on the Reapers, and that knowledge weighed on her.

"EDI, dim the lights by seventy-five percent."

The chair creaked again as Shepard shifted, the bright glare of the overheads dissipating against closed eyes. She pondered the past few weeks, the furious pace she had set, the impressive efficiency of her crew. The cohesion that they had developed over the past two years amazed her, and even with Young's betrayal, the team had still managed to continue on without fail. She had grown to view the Normandy as a well-oiled machine, but even though they were the most advanced ship in the galaxy, Shepard was unable to convince herself that they had a chance in hell at surviving the odds.

Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and reached for the data pad, the dim lights throwing long shadows over her desk. The yellow glare of the data stream flitted across her face, the intelligence report unchanged from earlier. Shepard skimmed it yet again, worry niggling behind her eyes. She was certain she had missed something.

She tapped the pad idly against her palm, contemplating her options. Glancing at the terminal she noticed the late hour, sure that the majority of her officers would be sound asleep by now; all save for one. Shepard stood, flicking off her terminal's display and exited her cabin, the elevator doors hissing open as she passed through.

The ride down was relatively short and Shepard paced in the small space, continuing to tap the data pad against her palm. She paused in her movements as the elevator halted, steadying herself against the sudden stop. Stepping out onto the crew deck she straightened her jacket and turned the corner, heading toward Miranda's office.

There was no response to the door chime and no light leaked through the closed door. Shepard pushed the console button again, but still there was no response. The commander sighed in resignation, the niggling sensation scratching at the back of her neck. She turned on her heel and returned the way she had come.

A thin ribbon of light lay upon the hallway floor across from the elevator, and Shepard frowned when she noticed it. It appeared her liaison was still awake. Almost reluctantly she approached the door to the observation deck, worry etching concern upon her brow. She pushed the chime on the console, only slightly surprised when the doors hissed open.

Alenko sat at a desk lit by a plain, black lamp, body surrounded by a pool of light. His eyes were hooded by shadow, head cradled in his palm. He glanced up at her as he set a data pad aside, surprise written across his face.

Shepard turned her attention from him, surveying the room he had occupied since Samara's departure. Her eyes adjusted to the dim light produced from their orbit above Gotha, the Normandy hidden within its shadow. A sliver of light outlined the planet, the sun tucked snugly behind the heavenly body. Streaks of gold lined the orb and Shepard marveled at the perpetual sunrise through the window dominating Alenko's quarters.

He had made no changes apart from the addition of a desk and cot. White sheets lay crumpled in a pile, and from the uncharacteristic scruff on his face, Shepard guessed that he had been unable to sleep as well. She met his eyes, hooded by shadow and fatigue. The surprise had faded from his face and he now looked at her expectantly.

"Shepard?"

The smoky timbre of his voice jarred her from her random observations and she remembered the data pad in her hand. She thrust it toward him, eager to alleviate the worry ruining her focus.

"Here." Her voice was gruff, concern evident in her tone. "Would you review this? I feel like I've missed something."

Disappointment ghosted across his face and was gone before Shepard barely had time to recognize it. Alenko took the information from her hand, warm fingers brushing against her own. The commander did her best to ignore the heat pooling in her gut, instead turning her attention back toward the observation window.

She lost herself amongst the stars before his voice brought her back again, his arm outstretched as he returned the data pad. He looked weary, worn, yet his bearing spoke of determination. Shepard glanced down at the pad, the yellow lettering flickering almost playfully against his bronze skin. The commander took the proffered information, idly tapping it against her palm once more.

"What do you think? Did I miss anything?"

Alenko shook his head. "No. I couldn't find anything. It looks like you've covered every possible angle."

The commander frowned. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. She required a project, a problem to solve, anything to increase their odds of success; anything to keep _him_ from harm.

Shepard turned on her heel to leave. Coming here had been a mistake and the building warmth in her gut confirmed that fact. He reached out to her and she glanced down at the hand that suddenly gripped her arm. He stood so close that she could feel the heat rolling off his body. Shepard faced him, an unexpected feeling of indignation coursing through her veins. What the hell did Alenko think he was doing?

"Shepard, wait."

"Let go of my arm, Alenko." She tried to harden her voice, but failed; conflicting emotions warring within.

Reluctantly, he obeyed. She met his shadowed eyes, heavy with fatigue and worry, the usual mirth absent and replaced by tempered steel. He had a hardened edge about him, his body prepared for the battle ahead despite the concern on his face.

"Why did you come?"

"I had a gut feeling and needed another opinion." The commander shook her head, glancing back down at the data pad. In truth she had re-read the information so many times that her eyes had begun to glaze over after the first paragraph. She had needed to take a break, to refocus, and had been reluctant to involve Alenko knowing that his presence would be a hazardous distraction.

She turned to leave again. "I should go."

"Cora."

Her back stiffened inadvertently and her feet refused to continue forward. Shepard froze, the low whisper of her name shivering down her spine and spreading through her limbs. Very few people in her lifetime had ever addressed her as such, only one of whom she'd loved. With difficulty she reached toward the door's console, her fingers hovering over the button.

"Don't, Cora."

She felt his presence close behind her, his warmth, the rough whisper of his voice as he called her name, driving all sense from her mind. His fingers traced the length of her arm, each touch sending more shivers through her body until at last he paused his wandering on her trembling hand. He curled his fingers about her own, intertwining them, eliminating the possibility of escape. The console remained untouched and the doors stayed closed.

He raised his free hand and traced a line down her other arm, his breath hot on the back of her neck. She shuddered against him, her body pressed to his firm chest, enveloped in his heat. Lips graced the sensitive skin of her neck, feather light and delicate, tasting, tempting. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

The essence of honey and summer breezes wafted through the air and a rush of memory flooded her system. She inhaled his scent deeply, fondly, leaning further into him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body even tighter against his, lips continuing to dance across her neck.

She felt her will begin to falter as her body betrayed her, shivers rolling down her spine and fanning the flame of desire in her core. Previous concerns evaporated from her mind as a comforting feeling of familiarity gripped her. She had missed his touch, the feel of his lips on her body, and the heat that once warmed her in the night. It was as if she was returning home.

"Cora," he breathed, and her world spun deliciously out of control.

She turned in his arms to face him, studying him as she traced the line of his jaw, his unshaven face rough against her skin. Dark eyes once lit by mirth were now colored with desire, deep pools of midnight in which she yearned to drown. Heedless of consequence she tilted her face up to his, her fingers running almost lazily through silken, shadowed locks.

"Kaidan."

The moment his name rolled off her tongue his lips were on hers, fierce and tenacious and insistent. Shepard melted into his heat, the taste of him wrapping her body in memory, suffusing her limbs with warmth. She pulled him ever closer, pressing her body against his and deepening their kiss. His touch was everywhere, searching, remembering, all hesitation lost, and she drank in his attentions as if he were a lush oasis amidst the desert.

A whirlwind followed, the heat of their passion throwing caution to the wind. Tangled within his limbs, she found they had moved to the cot, bits of clothing detailing their convoluted path across the floor. She pushed him down, his kisses growing more passionate as she settled atop him. His bronze skin glowed beneath a perpetual sunrise and she stilled at the sight, idly tracing the webbed patterns of light as they meandered across his body.

A slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he ran a hand through her hair, pulling gently at the binding. Soft waves fell across her shoulders, tickling, and she shivered again at the feel of it. His eyes lit up in familiar wonder, sparkling with intensity as he pulled her down for another, deep kiss.

The ache of desire warmed within her, building until _need_ pulsated within every fiber of her being. She shed the last vestiges of her clothing, baring her nakedness before him. Chocolate eyes darkened with want, his lips tracing formless patterns over her sensitive skin. She trembled, her body already flushed with warmth as his touch grew ever hotter.

Unwilling to deny the craving any longer she submitted to his fervent demands, shuddering delectably as she took him into her. Heat flooded her core, surging within her veins and echoing throughout her body. He pulled her to him, his gaze intense and hungry, his touch molten and desperate. She surrendered to him, to the feel of his body beneath and within hers, to the heat of his scent, the taste of his skin. Consequence no longer mattered, only the rhythm of their bodies. Only him.

She rode the swelling wave of ecstasy, his body damp and taut against her own. He pressed his lips to her neck, tracing the line of her jaw as she sought to pull him ever closer. Heat, molten and familiar, pooled within her core, building to an uncontrollable crescendo. She yielded to the _need_ in her body, giving herself over him, longing for the release she had so long denied herself.

He kissed her lips and her world exploded, exquisite warmth radiating throughout. His hands were hot against her skin, scorching with the ache of his desire. She shifted subtly above him, moving her hips in time with his, basking in the feel of him as he buried himself deeper and deeper within her. She rode the wave of ecstasy again, falling over the edge once more and pulling him with her.

A throaty sigh escaped him as he stilled within her, body rigid as he held her close. Sated, she met his gaze, dark eyes filled with wonder, sparkling once again with mirth and desire. He kept her in his arms, bodies intertwined, the heat of their lovemaking slowly dissipating into the air. Her breathing slowed, as did his, and she traced the contours of his face as if seeing him for the first time.

He pulled her with him as he reclined on the tiny cot, her fingers playfully entangled in the sparse hairs of his sculpted chest, her body snug against his own. She stretched her legs, brushing against the roughness of his, relishing in the familiar feel of him. The beat of his heart sounded against her ears, strong, steady, and she started to drift into sleep. Sighing contentedly she allowed herself this moment of peace, wrapped in the warmth of his embrace, the scent of honey and summer breezes floating on the air.


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

Chapter 34

The distant stars twinkled merrily through the observation port, pinpricks of light dancing within the blackness of space. Shepard stilled behind Joker's seat, her arms crossed as she watched him maneuver into position. She had given orders to Captain Archibald to maintain a discreet orbit around Charoum, monitoring orbital platform 98R and Legion's signal. The flotilla had taken up their positions near Haestrom and Gotha, waiting in the shadows for the Reapers to arrive. The STG scout ships had vacated the area, intent on securing additional support for the confrontation to come. Shepard sighed as she once again took stock of their forces. The outlook appeared as bleak as the void before her.

Miranda and Kaidan waited behind her; her XO paced while her liaison leaned against a sturdy bulkhead. Both were dressed for battle, breathers at the ready in case of a hull breach. Joker fidgeted restlessly, eyeing the monitor as if it were about to attack him.

EDI's blue avatar winked into existence. "All commanders have reported in. Status quo remains unchanged. My sensors detect no differences in system activity."

Shepard nodded, biting on her lower lip in thought. Normally, such news would be welcome, but the quiet was unnerving. She knew there was another heretic base in-system and that they still conducted regular patrols between Haestrom and Charoum. The absence of all activity was an ill omen. Surprisingly, she found she missed Hanson's irrational optimism at moments like this.

The corporal had reported in approximately two standard hours ago before Shepard initiated radio silence. The ground team was in place and all systems were go, the bunker's reinforced structure holding against the massive pressure of Gotha. The commander found herself idly wondering if the STG had installed cooling units as well.

Tali and Legion had also reported in shortly before radio silence, neither one with any discernible problems. The triangulation field was up and running and a multitude of modified quarian probes littered the area of engagement. It seemed her ground crews were as settled as they could be before the attack began. Hopefully, the groundside forces would not be needed. In her gut, however, Shepard knew otherwise.

Miranda stopped pacing and leaned over Joker, studying the terminal's display. Kaidan glanced up at her sudden change in routine, his attention momentarily diverted from his omni-tool. Shepard met his eyes, glittering darkly with anticipation. He shot her a knowing smile before resuming his previous activity. It seemed the waiting was starting to grate on his nerves as well.

Shepard sighed again as Miranda resumed her pacing, high heels clicking against the metallic flooring. The hollow sound echoed throughout the helm, a welcome distraction from the quiet impatience slithering through the rest of the Normandy. The commander could not remember CIC ever being this quiet. That fact, more than any other, had her on edge.

EDI's avatar flickered slightly. "I am detecting an increase in dark energy output, Commander."

Shepard stepped forward, eyeing the readouts on Joker's display. He punched in a series of numbers, enhancing the information scroll.

"Where?"

"Readings indicate the changes are coming from inside Dholen."

The commander took a deep breath to steady herself and turned toward her officers. Miranda had ceased her pacing and Kaidan straightened, both looking at her expectantly. The sudden silence was deafening.

"It's starting."

Kaidan nodded, taking up position in the number two chair, the orange glow of his terminal flickering to life. Miranda crossed her arms, dark eyes staring into the starry void beyond. She shot Shepard a blank look, shifting her weight as her fingers fluttered ever so slightly. The commander gripped the back of Joker's chair, readying herself for engagement.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins, burning like liquid fire and spreading through her limbs. She studied the scrolling data feed as readings continued to pour in, the dark energy output escalating, her mind working to calculate the figures. Joker shifted in his chair, a frown on his face as he re-checked Normandy's status yet again.

The air in the cabin grew thick with anticipation, EDI's blue avatar blanketing them in an eerie glow. Miranda tensed as she leaned forward, her eyes focused on Joker's terminal display, her brow creasing with interest.

"Joker, enlarge that image and enhance."

He complied, his usual sarcastic comments absent. An image of Dholen wavered on the display, Joker tweaking the settings as the interference cleared. The red sun seemed to pulsate with energy, surface eruptions shifting like sands in a cyclone. Miranda studied the image a moment longer before turning to Shepard.

"It appears our guests are about to arrive."

The commander nodded. "Well then, we should provide them with all the hospitality they deserve."

"Of course, Commander."

"Activate the probes nearest Dholen, Joker."

"Roger that, Commander." His voice was tight, edged with the apprehension lurking about the cabin. "Probes are powered up and waiting for your order."

Shepard nodded, eyes still glued to the display, Dholen's magnetic eruptions continuing to grow in intensity. A burst of static exploded onscreen, the sun's image disappearing amidst the electromagnetic interference. Joker adjusted the settings once more. The picture remained corrupted, but had cleared enough for the onlookers to recognize their dread. The first of the Reapers had arrived.

"Activate viral delivery." Shepard gripped the back of Joker's chair, calm voice masking the adrenaline raging in her blood. "Get these bastards out of my sky."

"Aye, aye, Commander." Joker's fingers danced across the controls, lights flickering in time with his movements. "Delivery of the virus commencing."

"Have their sensors picked us up yet?" Miranda shifted, moving behind the number two chair, her eyes on Kaidan's display.

"Not yet." Kaidan punched in a series of commands, enhancing the readout from the Reaper. "It looks like only one so far, but –"

Another burst of static exploded onscreen, blotting out any prior visual data.

"Sensors detect two more incoming, Commander."

Shepard frowned. She had hoped the Reapers would come through one at a time, but apparently luck was not with them. "Activate viral delivery as soon as they come through, Joker. Don't wait for my order."

"Whatever you say, Commander."

EDI's blue avatar flickered slightly, the eerie glow of the cabin mimicking the effect. "Sensor readings detect declining shield strength, Commander."

"Good. Tali's triangulation is having the desired effect?"

"That is correct, Commander. At this rate, the Reapers' kinetic barriers will be breached within thirteen standard minutes."

The commander stifled a sigh of relief, grateful that at least part of their plan was working. Hopefully, the rest would fall into place and they wouldn't need to fight them head-on. It was a fight that held little appeal at the moment.

"Shepard," Kaidan's voice was hesitant, laced with surprise. "You should see this."

The commander released her vise-like grip on the back of Joker's chair and joined her XO at Kaidan's station. She scanned the visual readouts, still warped from the electromagnetic interference.

"What am I looking at, Alenk…Kaidan?" She pushed aside the warmth creeping up her spine, focusing her attention on the matter at hand.

He pointed to the forward-most Reaper on the display, the first to arrive in-system. "It looks as though this one has started to drift."

A crooked smile tugged at the corner of Shepard's mouth. "EDI? What's the status of the viral delivery?"

"First wave is complete, Commander. Both the Preying Mouth and shielding viruses have been delivered."

Miranda shot Shepard a congratulatory look, surprise blatantly obvious in her eyes. "Well, Commander, it seems –"

Another burst of static interrupted her XO, a brilliant flash of light shorting out the display over Kaidan's terminal. He swore, furiously working at the controls to bring his station back online. Shepard crouched down next to him, examining the damage to the number two console. Miranda shifted her stance again, turning her attention to Joker's display, the frown adorning her face once more.

"We've got three more Reapers, Commander." She turned toward the AI, the blue glow partially shadowing her face. "EDI, activate probe viral delivery as the Reapers enter the system. Monitor and report on progress."

"Affirmative, Ms. Lawson."

"Uh, Commander?"

Shepard shifted her position, yanking unceremoniously on the console's maintenance panel. "What."

Joker glanced over his shoulder, the usual humor drained from his eyes. "I think they've noticed us."

_Fuck_. Shepard gestured to Kaidan who took her place on the floor, his efforts to fix the terminal progressing. She brushed past Miranda and leaned on the chair, scanning the readouts on Joker's other side. His terminal's display was garbled and difficult to discern, but the data feed continued to scroll down the side.

Joker enlarged the information, pointing to a specific line of code. "These two shifted their original trajectory. They're headed right for us."

"They must've discovered our location when we sent the signals to the probes." Miranda crossed her arms again, fingers fluttering slightly.

Shepard bit her lip in thought as Joker accessed the controls. "We need to keep them in the field as long as possible. How long until they're on us?"

Joker shook his head, the brim of his ball cap shadowing his eyes. "We got about ten minutes. You want a firing solution?"

"Negative. Keep them in the triangulation field, then lure them in." She gripped the back of his chair once more, her knuckles popping loudly. "Alert the quarian force that we have incoming."

"Is that wise, Shepard? Giving away our position like that?"

The commander met Miranda's gaze, ignoring the loud banging of metal as Kaidan reattached the maintenance panel. "They already know we're here. The element of surprise has already been lost. However, the viruses should do their work by the time they come into range, and the longer they stay in the field, the easier it will be to bring them down."

Miranda sighed roughly, directing her attention back to the information feed as another burst of static filtered through the displays.

"I'm back online, Shepard, but visual on number two is down." The orange glow of the second terminal's controls flickered over Kaidan's stern face, lines of concentration creasing his brow.

"Quarian fleet acknowledges and is waiting for orders, Commander." Bright flashes of light illuminated Joker's face, highlighting his grimace.

Shepard stilled, breathing deeply and tightening her grip. Pain lanced up her arm and anticipation shot down her spine. Adrenaline surged anew and the commander embraced her body's upheaval.

"Joker, I want a repeat of Murky Water. Get on its ass and stay there."

"You got it, Commander."

"EDI, what's the status of the viral delivery?"

The AI's globe hovered gently above the console, the peaceful glow at odds with the dread thickening the air. "Delivery is approximately seventy-four percent complete."

Shepard nodded, biting her lip in thought. "Inform the quarian force that they are to target the second Reaper – we've got the first one."

"Won't that leave us vulnerable?"

The commander shot Joker a stern look, the anticipation of battle pooling in her gut. "Yes, but we're the bait. Tell them to fire everything they have as soon as they have a solution. That should be enough time to complete the viral delivery."

"And if it's not?" Miranda shifted her weight again.

Shepard shrugged. "Then Joker gets another chance to prove just how good a pilot he really is."

Joker snorted as he moved the Normandy into position, Gotha's dull orb shadowed against the light of the sun. A metallic echo reverberated throughout the cabin as the shutters slid closed, the helm now encased in a cocoon of reinforced armor. Shepard gazed at the terminal, the data feed continuing to scroll down the display like it had on any other mission. Her stomach clenched and Shepard tightened her grip on Joker's chair as his frown deepened.

"We've got incoming." Kaidan's normally smooth voice sounded strained and hollow. "Reaper on point and altering course to intercept."

"Roger, Alenko." Joker shifted slightly in his seat, his hands speeding across the console.

Shepard felt the weight of her body shift, leaning back inadvertently as the Normandy pressed forward. She eyed the visual display, the distorted image of a Reaper hauntingly familiar to her eyes. It was approaching at a horrendous speed, appendages unfurling from beneath, bright arcs of light dancing over its armored hide.

The behemoth continued apace and fired. The commander tightened her grip, knuckles white and aching, shifting her balance so as to stay upright as the Normandy took evasive action. Joker swore under his breath, fingers flitting over the console, a frown ever present on his face. Miranda gripped his chair as well, her expression nothing if not composed. She eyed the readouts, same as Shepard, shifting her stance as Joker dodged their opponent.

The floors shuddered as they took a hit and red emergency lighting flared wildly throughout the ship. "Report."

"Minimum damage to hull." Kaidan stated. "Nothing we can't handle."

"How much longer on that virus, EDI?"

"Approximately five standard minutes, Commander."

Shepard shook her head, forcing her mind to maintain focus. "Get on its ass, Joker."

"I'm right there, Shepard." He swore as the ship shuddered again, punching a red flashing light on his terminal.

"Good. Fire." The words dripped from her lips with venom. She ached to obliterate the abomination before her.

The power of the main guns pulsated throughout the ship, rippling over the metal flooring. Shepard felt the vibration through her booted feet, relishing the feel of such power at her command. The stream of light cut through the darkness, impacting against the Reaper's hull with a welcome explosion. Tiny fingers of fire cascaded across the alien armor, searing the newly exposed innards. She allowed herself a moment to revel in the violence.

"Shepard," she looked to Kaidan, the note of concern in his voice drawing her attention. "The second Reaper has just left the dark energy field and is heading our way."

Her blood boiled wildly as the commander fought to control her adrenaline. "Notify the quarian force. Make sure they're ready."

"We can't take on two at once, Commander." Miranda frowned, the tension in her voice obvious.

Shepard ignored her statement, choosing to focus on the data feed. She shifted her weight as Joker continued on course, maneuvering them into position. The second Reaper came into view on their six, and the commander swore foully.

"EDI? The virus?"

"Viral delivery one hundred percent complete, Commander."

Shepard nodded. "Fire at will."

Joker punched the button on his console, a wicked smile on his face as the Normandy trembled with the force of the guns. The Reaper convulsed with the impact, its appendages flailing wildly as the explosion spread within. Waves of fire caressed the alien hull, flashing brilliantly against the silhouette of Gotha. Shepard watched as the Reaper crumpled, drifting aimlessly into the planet's atmosphere. A feeling of relief swept through her, doubling in strength as the lights from the quarian guns impacted their target. Perhaps they had a chance after all.

Another burst of static filtered through the systems and disrupted the visual displays.

"Shepard?" Kaidan's voice was flat. "We've got incoming."

The commander released her grip on the back of Joker's chair, the shooting pain in her fingers a welcome distraction. She leaned over Kaidan's station, studying the data feed as another burst of static belched forth. Shepard shook her head, adrenaline fading as her stomach sank in horror. A lost memory surfaced in her mind: Virmire's heat, Sovereign's empty voice.

"_We are legion."_


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, drakontion, for her help and to everyone following along. Reapers ahoy!

Chapter 35

"Commander, we're getting a message from the quarian force over Gotha!"

Shepard turned her attention back to Joker, his motions smooth despite the urgency in his voice. "Report."

"They've got Reapers incoming, locked onto their signal and approaching our six!"

_Shit_. "EDI, the probes! Where are we at on viral delivery?"

"Viral delivery is commencing. Probes are scattered throughout the area of engagement, five – now six destroyed by hostile fire."

"Quarian ships engaging the Reaper. Minimal damage to target." Joker shot a glance over his shoulder at Shepard. "Orders?"

The commander gripped the back of his chair tightly, armored fingers flexing against the leather. "Ready weapons and move to assist. Fire when in range."

"Shepard, we've got multiple targets incoming." The worry in Kaidan's voice drew her attention. "And quarian forces orbiting Haestrom report enemy engagements."

"Have Archibald's forces been discovered?"

"Negative, Shepard." The glow of the terminal flickered orange against his face as Kaidan punched a series of keys. "It looks like they're in the clear for now."

The flooring shuddered beneath her feet, trembling as an impact rocked the hull. Joker stiffened in his seat, his movements controlled. Red emergency lighting flared brightly, garish against the metallic paneling, and bouncing off the forms of the crewmembers. The silence had long ago evaporated, replaced by an almost chaotic urgency, the nervous energy blanketing the ship.

Shepard felt the Normandy tremble with the force of the guns, the energy discharge reverberating against the flooring. A bright stream of light cut through the darkness, streaking toward the abhorrent form of the Reaper laying waste to the quarian force. The ship banked hard to port, hull groaning slightly as reverse thrusters kicked in. Shepard tightened her grip on Joker's seat as he engaged the Reaper, EDI's calm avatar at odds with the tension in the cabin.

"Shields breached, Commander. Viral delivery one hundred percent complete."

Shepard nodded at EDI's information, the flow of adrenaline surging through her veins. Flashing lit up Joker's terminal and he cursed loudly.

"We've got more company!"

"Two more Reapers inbound, Shepard." Miranda studied the data feed still scrolling down the display. Shepard met her eyes, cold and silent as the Normandy shook with another impact. "We can't do this."

"Haestrom forces taking damage." Kaidan turned in his chair, worry deepening his dark eyes. He turned back around as another burst of static exploded across his terminal. "Reaper forces on the move."

Shepard pursed her lips and frowned as the sky lit up before her. The Reaper seized briefly before breaking apart, the quarian fleet continuing to fire at the remains. She studied the data feed, noting the course of the incoming Reapers. They would be within firing range in a matter of moments, too little time to wait for their shields to dissolve and the viruses to work. She turned toward Miranda once more, armored fingers creaking against Joker's seat as she tightened her grip.

"Launch the distress beacon. Send word to the Alliance and the Council."

The Normandy shuddered under another impact, armor squealing against the metal hull. Miranda simply nodded as she activated a nearby console, fingers fluttering slightly in the eerie light.

"Joker, move to intercept. We need to buy as much time while they're still in the triangulation field."

"Aye, aye, Commander."

"Kaidan," Shepard's voice was hard, the ease of familiarity forgotten for the moment. "Contact Captain Archibald's forces and order him to engage."

"Commander?"

She shook her head. "Do it. His force is useless if everyone else is dead."

"Roger that." Kaidan turned at his station, fingers flying over the controls as he relayed instructions.

The commander turned back toward the main display, the dark void lighting up before her with explosive fire. She felt the shift in gravity as Joker evaded the particle beams, crimson light ripping through the darkness. The Normandy bucked, metallic reverberations echoing over the hull as a beam cut too close.

"Damage assessment."

EDI's blue avatar flickered, throwing long shadows across the cabin. "Shields at forty-five percent. Hull damage moderate. Recommend defensive posture, Commander."

"No time for defense." Shepard snorted with disgust. "Joker, jump down its throat and let loose on the guns."

The strain of battle was evident on his face, frown deepening the creases on his brow. "No problem, Commander."

"Distress beacon away, Shepard." Miranda turned, eyes dull as she studied the sensor readings.

The commander simply nodded, emptiness pooling within as the warmth of adrenaline faded. A high-pitched screech echoed through the halls, metal grating on metal as their armor was penetrated. The Normandy jounced wildly from the impact, throwing Shepard and Miranda against the far console as Joker worked to correct their trajectory.

"Hull breach on crew deck." EDI's voice intoned blandly. "Pressure doors activated. Magnetic seals in place."

Another burst of static filtered through the comm., Kaidan working furiously to adjust the settings of the visual display. Shepard stood stiffly, assisting Miranda up from the floor. She looked at her XO with concern, a thin line of blood trickling down the side of her face, but Miranda waved her off, choosing to focus instead on the attacking Reapers.

"Shepard." Kaidan's voice fell flat and the emptiness chilled Shepard to the core. "You need to see this."

The commander leaned over his console, the visual display flickering with interference, but Shepard felt her gut sink as she recognized the scene. Hundreds of Reapers dotted the space within the triangulation field. Some drifted aimlessly on the outskirts while most appeared to move with purpose, on course to intercept Shepard's tiny fleet.

Bright starbursts blossomed throughout, puncturing the darkness. It appeared that the Haestrom fleet was still holding, but losing ground to the encroaching horrors. Archibald's forces had engaged the enemy, streaks of light cutting through the void to impact their mark, but the attempts were futile. The Reapers continued to press forward, determined, moving as if given divine purpose.

A burst of light detonated off to starboard and the Normandy convulsed from the impact. Kaidan's terminal shorted out, raining heated sparks over the cabin. He scrambled from his chair, Shepard pulling him into cover. Miranda crouched on the other side of Joker's chair, the pilot continuing his daunting task of keeping them alive.

Kaidan stood, brushing his chest plate and frowning at the remnants of his station. Shepard met his gaze briefly, both attempting to hide the knowledge of the battle's outcome. They were going to lose.

Anger flared in Shepard's veins, irritated at the thought of failing a mission. She positioned herself behind Joker's chair once again, her grip tight and painful. Sparks continued to burst erratically from the console and Kaidan worked diligently to extinguish them.

"More incoming." Miranda's voice fell flat.

The taste of defeat coated Shepard's tongue and she resisted the urge to spit. The Normandy shuddered again, Joker swearing loudly as he adjusted course.

"Are we in firing range?" Her voice was steel, tempered by years of command.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Let's show them our teeth." She shifted her weight, pain racking her hand as she tightened her grip. "Fire."

Shepard felt the ship rock underfoot, pulsating with the power of their guns. She watched as their fire impacted the Reaper's hull, an explosive mix of weaponry as the quarians added to their assault. The massive ship turned, shifting position as it rotated on its axis. Appendages unfurled, glowing with abhorrent energy as it prepared to fire. A single crimson beam poured out, aim true as it cut a quarian dreadnaught in half. The ship crumpled, a series of explosions pushing the halves further apart. Shepard watched, her expression neutral as the Normandy fired again, cerulean particle beams cutting through the remains of the Reaper.

Syncing the console to his omni-tool, Kaidan reattached the maintenance panel, metal banging loudly and startling the commander. He crouched unceremoniously on the floor, the blue glow from EDI's avatar shadowing his face.

"Commander?"

"What." Her voice was flat. She was in no mood for distraction.

"We've got incoming."

"No shit."

Kaidan shot her an unreadable look, the light of his omni-tool highlighting his face. "It's Samara. She's arrived."

A wave of relief washed over her as Shepard moved to scan the new data. Hundreds of ships of unknown origin, presumably rachni, poured into the system and engaged the Reapers. A sizeable number of ships had broken off from the main force, maneuvering into orbit around Gotha and Haestrom. The commander stood, the adrenaline once more pumping through her veins.

"Samara to Commander Shepard."

The commander pushed the button on the terminal, shifting to avoid Joker as he managed to keep them out of harm's way. "Shepard here. Good to hear your voice, Samara."

A distorted image of the asari appeared onscreen, bursts of static occasionally interrupting the feed. "I gave you my word, although it took longer than I had anticipated."

Shepard nodded impatiently. "We don't have time to discuss that now. What's your status?"

"The main forces are engaging the Reapers. Supporting forces are moving to assist our quarian allies and deploy krogan ground forces."

A relieved smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. "You brought Wrex and his clan."

Samara nodded respectfully, her poise at odds with the chaos surrounding them. "I did."

Another impact rocked the Normandy, Shepard pitching wildly as she tried to retain her footing. She maintained her grip on Joker's chair, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face and turned her attention back toward Samara.

"Any word from the Council?"

The display flickered again as Samara looked off screen, the dark, organic background of the rachni ship distorted behind her. "We have received no word as of yet, Shepard. But the rachni have agreed to aid you, as have I."

The commander nodded again. "Good. Then let's have at it."

O o O o O o O

Her teeth rattled, the latest impact hitting far too close to home. Shepard picked herself off the floor, wiping the sweat from her brow, her bones aching. Never before had she felt old until this moment, bruised and battered from the effects of the Reapers' onslaught. She turned back toward the main display, tossing Miranda a packet of medigel to stem the bleeding above her eye.

"Report."

EDI's blue avatar flickered brilliantly, rippling against the damaged consoles lining the cabin. "Kinetic barriers at twenty percent, Commander. Minor damage to engineering. Fire teams in place and ready to vent the burn."

"Rachni forces still holding." Kaidan stated, crouched on the floor with his omni-tool. "We're getting reports of increased Reaper activity over Charoum – looks like they're going for Archibald's forces."

Shepard swore, gripping the back of Joker's chair to steady herself. "Plot a course to intercept. We can't let them discover Legion's position."

"Roger, Commander." Joker brushed a hand down his face. "En route."

"Miranda, how's our power draw? Is the main gun back online?"

Her XO nodded slowly, a medicated packet pressed to her temple. "Garrus just reported in. We're good for now, although he's not sure how long the modifications will hold."

She shook her head in dismissal. "Doesn't matter."

The Normandy veered hard to port, barely missing an incoming particle beam. Shepard watched the display as two more Reapers closed on their position, rachni ships moving to intercept on their flank. The commander bit her lip, adrenaline still running hot and scorching her veins.

"Maintain course, Joker. Miranda? Order Ken and Gabby to get us more power to the engines."

"Yes, Commander."

The ship heaved again, lurching erratically as another beam impacted on the hull. Metal pressed against armor, squealing like a stuck pig. An explosive burst lit up the CIC, bright sparks spraying the crew. Shepard shot Miranda a look and she nodded, high heels echoing down the gangway as she hurried to assist. The commander keyed her comm., steadying her breathing.

"Shepard to Chakwas. We need a medic in CIC."

A burst of static was her response and Shepard didn't have time to try to decipher the garbled message. The Normandy shuddered, bouncing crazily, and she was thrown onto the floor next to Kaidan. He pulled her up carefully, steadying her weight against his, noting the bruise that now colored her cheek. He cupped her face, his concern apparent.

"I'm fine." She brushed him off, pointing to the alert on his omni-tool. "What do you have?'

Bronze fingers raced over the controls, dirty with sweat and grime from the console. "It's a new signal." He looked up at her for the first time with hope in his eyes. "It's the Citadel fleet."

Her relief was short lived, interrupted by Joker's frustrated voice. "Commander, I'm picking up some strange readings coming from one of Charoum's moons."

She cocked a slender eyebrow, righting herself as she peered over Joker's shoulder. "What the hell _is_ that?"

He frowned, fingers flying over the controls as he continued to evade enemy fire. "Not sure."

"EDI?"

"My sensors detect both organic and inorganic life forms – batarians, Commander. Readings indicate increasing power fluctuations. However, because of recent damage I am unable at this time to provide more specific intelligence."

Shepard swore as she remembered Liara's missing intelligence. "Numbers?"

"Unknown, but profile suggests a large base situated on the moon designated X-51. I hypothesize that Legion's signal will be detected soon, if it has not been already."

Shepard swore, lines of concern creasing her brow, the angry bruise on her cheek pulsing with pain. "Ready the shuttle."

"Commander, it's the Destiny Ascension. They're requesting permission to engage hostiles."

Shepard shot Kaidan and incredulous look and he returned it, dark eyes glinting with a hint of mirth. "Permission granted."

Joker shifted in his seat, wincing against the bright lights of another explosion. "They need _permission_ to save our ass?"

The commander shrugged, brushing off his comment and her own irritation. She studied the readouts of the battle, smaller ships moving to intercept while dreadnaughts bombarded the Reapers from a distance. Rachni veered in and out of fire, the organic nature of their ships almost alive compared the hulking metal beasts dotted throughout the triangulation field. Alliance cruisers flanked the area of engagement, and Shepard felt a mixture of pride and frustration surface. Leave it to the Council to wait until the last minute.

"Shuttle is prepped and ready, Commander."

"ETA?"

Joker punched in a sequence of buttons, lights flickering across the console. "Six minutes."

"EDI, have my team assemble in the cargo hold and prepare for departure."

"Yes, Commander."

Joker twisted in his seat awkwardly. "You're leaving?"

"We can't take the risk that Legion's signal will be detected. If anything gets off that moon and heads to 98R we're screwed." She shot him a determined look. "You got this, Joker."

He held her gaze for another moment before reluctantly turning around, lines of concern deepening across his brow.

"Commander," EDI's synthesized voice interrupted her thoughts. "I am detecting a familiar signal."

Shepard raised a slender eyebrow. "You want to be more specific?"

"My sensors are picking up a Reaper signal similar to the electromagnetic signature of the Collectors."

She punched in the commands on the console, the visual display wavering with interference. Despite the shoddy quality, Shepard was able to make out a fast approaching Reaper, on course to intercept, four blazing orbs adorning its monstrous form. Appendages uncurled as massive amounts of energy arced over its hull. The commander felt a cold chill slither down her spine, icy fingers squeezing the last vestiges of warmth from her body.

"Harbinger."

"Reaper AI is attempting to access my systems, Commander. Firewalls in place and holding."

Shepard pursed her lips in thought, turning toward Kaidan. "Get down to the cargo hold and get ready. Send up Evans to assist Joker."

He paused in his movement, his dark eyes meeting hers with concern. "Shepard?"

She nodded turned back toward the display. "I'll be right behind you."

He held her gaze a moment longer before disentangling from the console, the light of his omni-tool winking out as he stood. She heard him go, booted feet echoing down the metal grating of the gangway only to be replaced shortly by the noise of another. Serviceman Evans scurried toward the helm, squatting awkwardly by the number two console as he synced up his omni-tool to the information feed.

"Serviceman Evans reporting for duty, ma'am!"

The commander turned her gaze on him, heavy with expectation. "Monitor fleet communications and assist Joker. Alert rachni and Citadel forces of our position. Request groundside reinforcements."

"Yes, ma'am." He saluted, all long, gangly limbs.

Her attention was yanked forward again as the Normandy unexpectedly banked hard right, shuddering under the force of their turn. "Joker, status!"

He manipulated the main console, fingers skimming over the surface as he accessed the controls. "It's EDI. Her firewalls have been breached!"

_Fuck_. Shepard licked her lips, sweat beading on her brow, and tightened her grip on the chair. "Can you fix it?"

"I don't know, Commander. I'm rerouting manual controls now." He bounced in his seat as the SR2 rocked wildly. "Get to the shuttle. I got this."

The commander held him in her gaze a moment longer before turning and racing down the gangway. CIC was in chaos, sparks showering the crew as they continued to mend the connections. Yeoman Chambers worked furiously with another crewmember, pulling a fallen beam from the floor. Shepard could not pause to see what lay under it.

The elevator doors slid shut easily, and Shepard was grateful that something still worked, discarding the thought as the lift bucked violently before depositing her in the cargo hold. Crates littered the floor, crazily lit by the flickering iridescence of the magnetic seals. The commander ignored the play of light and stalked toward the shuttle.

Her team waited inside, the UT-47's engines humming and ready to go. She strapped herself in, buckling her harness as the others eyed her with curiosity. She saw no need to alleviate their concerns, as she knew of no way. The only cure for the fear of the unknown was to find out just what, exactly, they would be up against. Shepard frowned. They would know soon enough.

The shuttle disengaged from the docking clamps and slid through the magnetic seals as the bay doors yawned open. The void lay before them, brightly colored with interconnecting starbursts of fire. The sight would have been beautiful, save for the manner of its making. The commander watched as yet another of her forces dissolved into the vacuum, Charoum dominating her view of the sky.


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Thanks to everyone following along and to my beta, drakontion, for her help. Pardon my cheesy attempts at humor. Have some action.

Chapter 36

The Kodiak shuttle touched down roughly and Shepard unbuckled her harness, slapping her breather on and adjusting the fit. She watched her team do likewise, studying their movements as she adjusted her environmental controls. They seemed eager to be off the Normandy, their feet on solid ground with an enemy they could face. Shepard couldn't help but to agree with that idea. She was uncomfortable any hostile engagements where she couldn't shoot the enemy herself.

The cabin's door opened, gears groaning softly, and Shepard hopped onto the rust-colored surface, sandy and scorching beneath her booted feet. The sky was darkened, stars obscured by the volatile vapors spewing forth from the bowels of the moon. An industrial structure sprawled before her, metallic pipes lining the entryway and discharging heated gases. The hum of power thrummed from deep within, causing her skin to itch beneath her armor. She checked her suit's gages, nerves tingling once more with adrenaline.

She motioned to her team, Kaidan already moving to the door and intent on hacking the control panel. Garrus and Miranda covered him while Grunt and Jacob monitored the perimeter. Mordin studied his omni-tool, yellow lights glowing brightly against his pale skin. Shepard took up position next to him, eyes scanning the horizon.

"Mordin?"

"Readings mixed. Appears base contains both geth and batarian forces." He met her eyes and blinked. "Suggest caution."

Shepard cocked a slender eyebrow. While it was good to know Mordin was still master of the obvious, she would have preferred more detailed information. Unfastening her cannon from her holster, the commander slammed in a thermal clip and proceeded forward, Mordin walking alongside her.

"Sensors suggest power generators recently brought online."

Shepard nodded. "That would explain why we only just detected the base. Any idea what it's for?"

Mordin shook his head in the human manner, eyes still glued to his omni-tool. "Large complex. Standard geth layout suggests power generators located in centralized location."

"Nothing we haven't handled before." The commander paused next to Miranda as she maintained her watchful vigil by the door. "Kaidan? How's that hack coming?"

"Almost there. Give me a minute."

Shepard pursed her lips in thought, running through a myriad of scenarios in her mind. "Mordin, can you detect where the main hubs are?"

"No." He punched in a series of commands with his usual vigor. "Readings inconclusive."

"What's your plan, Shepard?" Garrus shifted his stance, sighting down his sniper scope as he surveyed the blasted landscape.

"We go in, shoot anything that moves, and blow the place."

"Simple. Effective. I like it."

"We're in, Shepard." Kaidan flicked off his omni-tool as he stood, eyes hooded underneath his helmet.

The commander moved into position by the door and keyed her mic. "I want three fire teams. Jacob and Miranda, you'll take left flank. Kaidan and I will be on the right. Mordin, Grunt, and Garrus – you've got our rear. Move out."

Heavy metal doors slid open, grinding against the rocky granules collected over the passing of time. The commander slid in, moving swiftly alongside the wall. A red glow lit their path, the others following Shepard's lead. She paused as the doors closed, the reverberations echoing down the corridors.

"Everyone remember where we parked," Garrus quipped.

O o O o O o O

They filed down the corridor, pausing occasionally to take readings and mark their progress. Shepard had ordered all teams to be on the lookout for any sort of control panels in order to hack into the systems and get a complete layout of the complex. She disliked flying blind and with so many unknown variables on this mission, was more uncomfortable than usual.

Her skin itched underneath her armor, the cooling units of her suit doing little to assuage her discomfort. The commander crept along the walls, halting at intersections within the maze of corridors, each identically lit by the same eerie red glow. She glanced down at her omni-tool and noting the nearby power fluctuations, motioned her team to continue forward.

It didn't take as long as she had thought when they finally reached signs of life, or rather synthetic life. Shepard poked her head around the corner while Miranda and Jacob secured their left flank. Kaidan stilled beside her, pistol at the ready, while the others maintained watch on their six. The scene before her was strangely familiar, reminiscent of her mission with Legion on Heretic Station. There, in perfect firing range, were three mobile platforms synced up to a hub.

Shepard keyed her comm., speaking in low tones. "Everyone get into position and watch your footing. We don't want to alert them before we're ready. Take them out but leave the hub intact. We can make use of it."

She saw Miranda nod as she and Jacob moved forward; Mordin, Garrus and Grunt taking up position. Kaidan followed directly behind Shepard as she turned the corner and positioned herself behind a large console. Pulling out her widow, she checked the sights, aligning them carefully.

"Miranda and Jacob – take the one on the left. Garrus – you've got the right. We'll take down the one in the middle." She nestled the butt of her rifle against her shoulder and sighted. "On my mark."

In normal circumstances she would have considered the geth too close for the widow, but considering the synthetic was unaware at present, Shepard decided to take the opportunity to utilize maximum firepower with the least collateral damage. She had plans for the hub, and would hate to see it wasted.

"Mark."

A thundering shot rang out in the nearly empty room, resounding over the metal paneling as pain exploded in her shoulder. The middle synthetic stumbled forward with the impact, turning to face its attackers as it disengaged from the hub. The hunter let loose with a rifle blast before activating its cloak.

The din of gunfire echoed through the small space, biotic fireworks turning the red glow briefly to purple and then back again. Kaidan shifted beside her, letting loose with a warp field as she switched to her cannon. Popping up again she dumped a clip in the approaching synthetic, its cloaked form barely visible amidst the chaos. It stumbled again and Kaidan finished it off with an overload.

The other two geth were also on the floor, one still chirruping oddly before Shepard put another round in its central processor. She stood, surveying the scene and smiling as the hub remained untouched.

She gestured with her head, jerking it to the side. "Kaidan, tell me you can hack that thing."

The yellow glow of his omni-tool colored his helmet and she could see him frown beneath his visor. "I'll see what I can do, Shepard, but no promises."

Motioning to the others to take up positions once more, the commander crossed the room and stood watch by his side as Kaidan accessed the hub. Smatterings of lights were sprinkled across the massive console, flickering occasionally as he synced up his omni-tool. He frowned again, studying the readouts streaming into the 'tool's system.

"No firewalls. No security measures. It's like they didn't expect anyone to violate their systems." He shot Shepard a look of surprise. "I have full access."

"Get me a schematic of the complex and the location of the power generators."

"Yes, Commander." He tensed, resuming his duties and focusing his attention on the connection.

Shepard surveyed the empty room, devoid of any recognizable feature. The only thing that seemed to differentiate this room from any other they had passed were the gutted synthetics scattered over the floor. While she was sure the interior decorators back home wouldn't approve, it was a design element that she could respect. Although, she never did get that geth's head desk lamp she'd wanted.

"Got it, Shepard." Kaidan disconnected his omni-tool and punched in a series of commands. A large schematic winked into existence, rotating slowly as Shepard studied the layout.

"Looks like this is the central chamber - where the generators are being held." She tilted her head, frowning, and pointed to what appeared to be an anomaly in the floor plan. "What's this?"

"According to the readings, it's the primary landing pad, complete with refueling station and hanger."

The commander bit her lip in thought, formulating a plan. "It's open ground?"

Kaidan nodded.

"We'll need to disable it." She turned to Miranda; the slender woman crouched almost casually behind another console. "Any word from our backup?"

"None, Commander." Her XO checked the gage on her pistol and slammed in another clip. "We may be getting some interference from the structure."

Shepard resisted the urge to sigh, instead readying her cannon. "We're on our own, then. Move out."

They proceeded apace, making their way through the geth hubs and further down the maze of corridors, red lighting throwing eerie shadows across industrial piping. They destroyed six more hubs before the architecture began to change. The metal piping no longer spat out gouts of steam, and the garish red lighting dissolved beneath the glow of soft white. Shepard's nerves tingled with caution. She was not comfortable with the change, most likely the work of new construction. The commander turned to Miranda who continued to cover her left flank.

"I think we've made it into batarian country."

"My thoughts exactly, Commander."

Kaidan flicked on his omni-tool again. "Readings indicate that they added this section within the past two years."

"Makes sense," Shepard grumbled. "Geth have no need for environmental controls or aesthetic appeal."

He magnified a section of the floor plan, focusing on their current location. "We'll need to head down this corridor – at least one hundred feet – and then hang a left. Another hundred feet and we hit the control room. The primary generators should be located within."

"What's the catch?"

Kaidan shot her a crooked smile. "We have to bypass the barracks."

"You're just full of good news, aren't you Kaidan."

"All in a day's work, ma'am."

She bit her tongue on a retort, choosing instead to turn her attention back to the mission at hand. "Do your sensors detect any life signs in the barracks?"

Kaidan shook his head. "There's too much interference between here and there. We'll need to get closer."

"Right outside the door, huh?"

"That would do it."

Shepard pursed her lips, readying her weapon once more. She started forward again, moving swiftly through the corridors lest their presence be discovered. The halls were surprisingly empty, leaving Shepard with a similar feeling in her gut. She had expected sentries stationed at key points along their route, but their absence was vexing. Surely security wasn't _that_ lax?

Shepard rounded another corner, Kaidan right behind her, when she suddenly halted. "Miranda and Jacob hold positions. Garrus, keep an eye on our six. Barracks are at the end of the hall. Hold tight."

The commander gestured to Kaidan and they slid along the walls, scouting out the area with weapons at the ready. Shepard paused again when she reached the doorway. Deep, gravelly voices sounded faintly from within, their garbled speech an incomprehensible drone at this distance. She checked the readings of her omni-tool, shifting her body to hide its feeble yellow glow, noting the presence of only a handful of batarians within. Worry lined her brow. She wasn't sure if she should be thankful or concerned that they had engaged such a small number of enemies so far.

She reached up to key her comm. again, speaking in low tones. "Miranda. Jacob. I want you two on point at the other end of the hall as soon as we open fire. I have no intention of leaving our asses hanging out in the breeze if this gets too hairy."

The former Cerberus operatives moved stealthily up the hall to Shepard's position. "Roger that, Commander."

Jacob's body glowed faintly as he activated his barrier. "We'll keep you covered."

Shepard checked the ammo count on her cannon before switching to her widow. She chambered a round and activated her cloak, sighting down the scope as she zeroed in on her target. A single batarian guard stood near the other entrance, a control panel next to his position. He looked to be chatting with another guard not more than ten feet away and only partially dressed. Two more armed guards stood on either side of the room. Shepard ignored the mix of curiosity and disgust creeping through her system, aligning the crosshairs of her scope. She pushed aside the mental image of the half-naked alien and fired, relishing the familiar pain blossoming in her shoulder.

Chaos erupted as Kaidan overloaded their weapons' systems and opened fire. Miranda and Jacob rushed past them, securing their positions on point. Shepard chambered another round and sighted again, targeting the half-naked guard as he raced for his sidearm. He crumpled beneath her fire, chest bursting open with the force of the impact.

Two more guards went down under Kaidan's assault, a fifth huddling behind a metal bunk. Shepard motioned to Kaidan before activating her cloak, targeting the hostile as he took aim at the other commander. Kaidan's shields flared briefly as the batarian's shot grazed him, dropping to cover as Shepard opened fire. The last guard fell to the ground with a dull thud, his rifle clattering loudly across the metal flooring.

"Barracks clear." Shepard reported. "Status?"

"Rear guard is clear, Shepard."

"No sign of enemy reinforcements on this end, Commander."

Shepard nodded, maintaining an open comm. channel. "Hold positions. While I didn't see any of the guards call for reinforcements, that doesn't mean they didn't hear the gunfire."

"Roger that, Commander. Grunt and Mordin like to wait patiently."

She heard Jacob snicker through a slight burst of static and Shepard shot Kaidan a crooked smile while he accessed his omni-tool. "According to the schematic, the barracks has a second entrance on the north side. We can use this room as our fallback position if need be."

Shepard nodded in agreement. "Given that we've only seen small groups so far, I suspect the bulk of their forces are somewhere else."

"The landing platforms, maybe?" Jacob suggested over the comm. "With everything that's going on overhead, I bet they're prepping ships for reinforcement."

"A sound theory." Miranda stated.

Kaidan and Shepard exchanged glances. "If your readouts are correct, the power generators are located just off the landing platforms. We can kill two birds with one stone."

"Suggest caution, Shepard." Mordin's voice interrupted her train of thought. "Once power is cut, presence will undoubtedly be noticed."

The commander frowned. "Kaidan, were you able to download information on the crew compliment, number of hubs – anything that'll tell us how many enemies are going to come at us once we cut the power?"

Kaidan studied the data scrolling down his omni-tool's feed, his brow creasing with frustration. "I've got nothing on batarian forces, but I have some data on geth hubs. There are two server rooms in the complex. To get to the nearest one, server room A, we'll have to backtrack and go away from the control room."

"And the other?"

Kaidan's frown deepened. "Server room B is on the other side of the complex."

"No way we can get there undetected." Jacob interjected over the comm.

"He's right." Miranda agreed. "Our best bet is to disable the nearest server room, and hope it's the larger of the two."

"According to the records, it is, although server room B has close to five hundred mobile platforms in storage."

Grunt's dark laughter filtered through the radio. "I like a challenge, Battlemaster."

Shepard cocked an eyebrow. "While I don't share his enthusiasm, I have to admit it's the best course of action. Garrus, do we have enough ordnance for the server room _and_ landing pads?"

"Roger that, Commander. Mr. Taylor and I loaded up on far too many explosives before heading out."

"Right." Shepard stated, her mind working furiously. "Miranda? You and Jacob take Grunt and head for server room A. Don't blow it until I give the order."

"Acknowledged, Shepard."

"Garrus? Mordin? You're with us. We'll rendezvous at the control room in twenty."

"Yes, ma'am." Shepard could almost hear the salute in Miranda's voice. "See you on the other side."

Pounding footsteps reverberated across the metal flooring as Grunt bolted excitedly down the hall to join up with Miranda and Jacob. Mordin and Garrus followed, splitting off from his trail as they filed into the barracks. Shepard met them at the entrance, prying open the access panel as the door slid shut. She cut the hoses and made short work of the control panel, effectively sealing the door. Shepard looked up as she finished her work to find Kaidan studying her curiously.

"If this is our fallback position, I don't want them hitting us on two fronts."

Kaidan held up his hands, placating. "Oh it's not that, Shepard. It's just nice to see you tackle tech every once and a while."

Shepard pulled out her cannon and slammed in another clip, sharpening her gaze as she met Kaidan's eyes. "Commander Alenko? Do try to keep your mind on our mission. We'll have time for personal debriefings later."

O o O o O o O

Shepard and Garrus took up positions on either side of the control room doors, Mordin and Kaidan in supporting positions, covering their six. Omni-tool sensors indicated the presence of another small grouping of life signs totaling four. Shepard believed that her team would be able to take them out before they activated the alarm. In theory.

She nodded to Garrus and activated her cloak, taking aim at the batarian sitting at the main control unit. Her shot cracked through the silence, seeming to stun the batarians momentarily as their comrade dropped to the ground. They quickly snapped out of their surprise, however, throwing unintelligible shouts across the room, interrupted by Garrus as he opened fire.

Shepard switched to her cannon, unleashing a round into the nearest guard. He went down, stumbling as the shot impacted his leg. He reached up onto the console and Shepard shot him again, putting him down for good.

She ducked back into cover as her shields flared bright blue, a near miss as another guard opened fire. The commander took a moment to reload while Garrus unleashed a hail of bullets on the enemy position, the sharp sounds of a ricochet echoing off the walls. Checking her cloak she noticed it was only half charged, and acting on the adrenaline pumping through her veins, she popped out of cover and opened fire again.

The confrontation was over quickly, and Shepard struggled to suppress the energy surging through her body. She studied the large room, dominated by the twin energy generators pulsating with orange light. Garrus followed her inside, securing the perimeter and checking the dead. He signaled the all-clear and Shepard keyed her mic.

"Area secured. Mordin, take up position inside the doors and guard our flank. Kaidan, I'll need you at the master control unit."

"Roger that, Commander. Moving to position."

Shepard ejected the half-empty clip and loaded another one as she studied the main control unit. It was massive, an enormous lighted display with multiple keys flashing in a maelstrom of color. Garrus had already wound his way past it and around the generators, locking the door on the north end. The commander nodded to him in thanks, moving back to take up position next to Mordin.

Kaidan followed him in, briefly meeting Shepard's gaze as he took a seat before the massive unit. His helmet glowed bright orange from the combined lights of the display and generators, pulsating with reflected radiance. The commander watched him work with purpose, fingers moving swiftly over the controls as he hacked the system. As much as she regretted it, Shepard turned her attention away from him and focused her eyes down the hallway. If reinforcements had been alerted, they would be on their way.

Time ticked by, moments seeming to pass with the swiftness of hours. Shepard checked her omni-tool repeatedly, each time dismayed by the lack of progress and futilely wishing time would move faster. Normally, waiting was not an issue, but with the Reaper confrontation up above and a mixed batarian-geth army out the door, her impatience was starting to chafe.

Mordin seemed to notice her restlessness and blinked. "Behavior suggests irritability. Perhaps an itch cream?"

Shepard quirked an eyebrow, swallowing the dent to her pride. Surely the doctor was not serious, but she was never quite sure with him.

"I'm good, Mordin." She checked her omni-tool again. "Garrus, time to rendezvous?"

"Seven minutes."

"My sensors aren't detecting them. Are yours?"

"Nothing yet, Shepard," Garrus adjusted his stance, shifting his rifle. "But I'm getting some interesting readings outside the room."

"Such as?"

"Not quite sure, yet. There's a lot of interference from the generators, but according to the schematic, the entrance to the landing pad's at the end of this hall. My money's on ships – bolstering their numbers since Archibald's forces are in orbit near this position."

"No word from our reinforcements?"

"None yet, Commander." Garrus switched off his 'tool. "Try contacting them again once we cut the power – should minimize interference."

Shepard nodded in thought, turning her attention once more to the hallway as the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the halls. She cocked the hammer on her cannon, taking aim at the unknowns encroaching on their position.

"Shepard, it's Miranda. Hold your fire. We're coming from the southern corridor, approaching your location."

The commander held her weapon firmly trained down the hall, eyes scanning as blood pounded in her ears. The noise of their approach grew louder and Shepard felt a small wave of relief wash over her as Miranda's team appeared in her vision. The trio poured into the control room, Miranda motioning to the others to take up positions by the doors.

Shepard stepped away as Grunt took up her guard and followed Miranda to the control unit as the other woman studied the enormous display. "Report."

Her eyes flicked from the console and back to Shepard. "We planted the explosives at key points in server room A. They're armed and ready for your order, Commander."

"Any trouble?"

"We ran into a few hubs along the way, though nothing we couldn't handle. Platforms were inactive in the server room, although Jacob did find a storage area and cut the main link to be safe."

"Good." Shepard turned her attention back to the master control unit. "How's it coming, Kaidan?"

"I'm accessing the main files now, Shepard. There's a lot of data to sift through."

"We can't stay here all day, Kaidan. Have you found anything interesting?"

He nodded slowly, his attention focused on his task. "I've downloaded a few files that looked interesting, and – wait a second."

Shepard shifted her weight, leaning over the console to better view the data scrolling down the display. "What?"

His fingers danced over the controls as he enlarged part of the information feed. "Here – this mentions the Leviathan of Dis."

"Impossible," Miranda blurted as she mirrored Shepard's pose.

"According to this, it's entirely possible." Kaidan punched in another series of commands, an image of the batarian's pet project wavering slightly on the display. "It seems the batarian government has been funneling money to this base – supplying tech and personnel as well."

Shepard pursed her lips, loathing deepening the frown creasing her brow. "Look at the shape, the form of the Leviathan." She traced the blurred patterns of the image, distorting it further with an accidental touch. "It's not identical to what we've seen, but it's close enough."

"_Impossible_," Miranda sputtered.

"The batarians got themselves a Reaper."

Silence reigned in that appalling moment, as the sick reality of their situation set in. The commander breathed deeply and gathered her wits, checking her timer again before glancing back up at Kaidan. "We need to blow the servers now. Download what you can to an OSD and find me a way to disable these generators."

Kaidan nodded, skimming through the reams of data scrolling down the screen. He punched in a sequence of commands, his frustration growing, evident by the force of his actions. Shepard watched as another data stream popped up onscreen, yellow lettering flicking across his helm.

"Here," he pointed emphatically to a segment of information. "I'll need to re-route the secondary protocols and lock out the network to prevent the emergency systems from activating. Then we cut the hard line."

"Where's the hard line?"

"I'm sitting on it."

Kaidan stood, moving the chair out of the way and giving Shepard access to the utility panel on the floor. She pried it open savagely, tossing the panel aside, clattering loudly as it skittered across the floor. She glanced up at him, waiting for his word to proceed.

He punched in an abrupt series of commands, working quickly as his fingers flew over the console. The data stream halted, then winked out of existence as the display flickered and died. Kaidan met Shepard's gaze and nodded.

She looked to Miranda. "Blow the servers when I cut the power. Ready?"

"Ready, Commander."

Shepard wrenched the tubing from its snug holdings, the screech of metal grating together causing her to wince slightly. Irritation fueled her reserves and she pulled harder, falling back ungracefully as the hard line gave way. The controller in Miranda's hand beeped softly as she activated it, the telltale clamor of an explosion following shortly.

The commander felt the reverberations of the blast as the floor vibrated beneath her. Kaidan reached out his hand and she took it, standing with his assistance. He squeezed her hand gently as she locked her eyes on his. A knowing look passed between them and Shepard readied her weapon.

"Miranda, see if you can contact our reinforcements. I'd say it's a good bet the enemy knows we're here."


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

Chapter 37

"Mayday! This is ground team to Citadel forces! Do you read?"

Shepard crouched lower to the ground as her cover was pummeled by a hail of gunfire. She turned awkwardly toward Miranda who huddled next to her and shook her head, the brunette's face darkening with the news. A burst of static crackled in the commander's earpiece, and then went dead again. Her tiny force was on their own, backed into a corner as the batarians and geth closed in from across the landing platform. She had rarely been in worse positions before. Steeling herself, she slammed in another clip.

Popping out of cover she took aim and fired at the nearest hostile, a batarian trooper with a rifle that appeared far too large to carry. He moved awkwardly, the heavy weapon slowing him down, and Shepard took the opportunity to disable him. The trooper fell as she obliterated his kneecaps, crumpling to the ground amidst the crossfire, weapon sliding out of reach.

Ducking down again she reloaded as Miranda opened fire, launching her biotics in an impressive display of power. Twisting to her right she was able to make out the other part of her team as the men held their position. Kaidan alternated between biotics and tech attacks, severely hampering the progress of the geth, and Grunt was actually laughing as he blew up a nearby squad with a concussive blast. She frowned at the situation, however, knowing they would soon run out of ammo and be overwhelmed.

Flicking on her omni-tool she switched her focus and studied the layout of the landing pad, ignoring the nearby blast that shot vibrations through her cover. According to the sensors, three main fuel tanks were positioned at intervals across the landing pad, ships bound off-world stationed at each. Given the size of the frigates, they would need more time to fully charge, giving Shepard an idea.

Miranda threw herself down on the ground, jostling Shepard as the other woman ducked back into cover, narrowly missing the mass-accelerator blast that whined overhead. She frowned up at Shepard, eyes like ice, and slammed in another clip as she left her unspoken question hanging in the air between them.

"No contact yet, Miranda."

"Shepard," She launched a warp field at an oncoming geth and Shepard finished it off. "If we don't get reinforcements soon –"

"I know, but I've got nothing on the comm." She popped off another few shots, switching to the ungainly grenade launcher. "Garrus is working on it too and he hasn't been able to reach them either."

Miranda slumped back down as Shepard launched a grenade into the fray, sending bits of debris in all directions. Red plumes of smoke drifted upward, melding with the hazy sky of the volcanic moon. The commander crouched back down, shifting her weight as she keyed her radio once more.

"Mayday! This is Commander Shepard to Citadel fleet! Normandy? Do you read?"

Nothing but the buzz of static filtered through her comm. and again she shook her head at Miranda.

"Shepard?"

"Hold tight, Miranda. I have an idea." The commander ignored the noise of the landing pad, the constant percussion of enemy fire against her slim bit of cover, and activated her comm. "Kaidan, I need two of your team over here. Double-time it!"

She saw the other commander glance toward her, dark eyes unreadable under his helmet, pads scuffed and scratched. He gestured to Jacob and Grunt, both of whom burst out of cover and sprinted to her position, the krogan's enormous form barreling through the abrasive landscape.

"Something you need, Commander?" Jacob asked, breathing heavily into his mic.

Shepard nodded, checking her ammo count. "Grunt, hold this position with Miranda. Jacob? You're with me."

Grunt snarled and launched another concussive blast, the impact so close as to rattle teeth. Shepard felt the container she leaned against vibrate with the impact, silently thanking and cursing Grunt for his enthusiasm.

She activated her omni-tool and punched in a series of commands. A holographic image of the landing pad winked into existence, hovering gently above her 'tool. "Jacob, you see these fuel tanks here and here?"

He nodded, his barrier shimmering against dark skin.

"We're going to take them out along with the ships still docked there."

"Roger that, Commander. Just point me in that direction and set me loose."

"You'll need my help." Shepard switched off her omni-tool. She had no intention of letting Jacob take on such a ridiculously dangerous task by himself. "I'm going with you."

"Commander –"

She held up her hand to forestall his protest, activating her comm. and leaving the channel open. "Concentrate fire on our right flank on my mark." She hefted the grenade launcher in her hands, determination written across her face. "Mark."

In an instant their path was lit up before them; a combination of biotics, tech, and a krogan blast colored the edges of her vision. Shepard activated her cloak as she ran, Jacob's form partially obscured by the smoke as he sprinted just ahead of her. He slid into cover behind a grouping of metal pipes, steam erupting in sudden gouts and dissipating into the hot air. She crouched down next to him, her cloak dissolving as she did so.

"Looks like they haven't noticed us yet, Commander," Jacob stated while peeking through the tubes.

"They will soon enough." She took in the scene before her eyes, the landing pad scorched and strewn with debris but still functional. Shepard pursed her lips in thought, locating the closest fuel tank as she worked out the variables in her head.

"I can take out this fuel tank by myself. Jacob, can you make it to the next objective on your own?"

"Can do, Commander." He pumped his shotgun, chambering another round, the barrier still flickering softly around his body.

Shepard nodded, discomfort settling in her gut. "Readings show that they're not guarding the frigate stationed on our right, but expect hostiles to be present inside. It's got to have a crew onboard if they're readying it for takeoff."

"Makes sense." He ducked as a bullet whizzed by, the ricochet ringing the pipes like a small gong.

"Set your charges at the tank, then disable the frigate. You should be able to access the power coils at the base of the fuselage, right where the fuel lines connect." She smiled wickedly. "A few well placed charges there, and we're in business."

Jacob nodded again, peering through the tubes toward his goal. "A lot of space between here and there."

"Not to worry," Shepard hefted her grenade launcher. "I got your distraction right here."

The commander readied her weapon as Jacob prepared to run. Eyeing the fuel tank across the field, she sighted and fired, slightly dismayed that her first shot didn't result in the expected explosion. Shepard reloaded and fired again, satisfaction fueling her adrenaline as the tank ignited. Plumes of smoke and firebursts filled the air and Jacob shot out of cover. He made it halfway to his goal when Shepard finally allowed herself to hope, and returned the launcher to its casing.

The sudden explosion drew enemy attention and focused on Shepard's position. She moved further behind the piping, switching to her cannon as she checked the readout on her omni-tool. Hostiles were closing in, moving to flank her on the left and cut her off from her squad. She grunted irritably and activated her cloak, riding the wave of adrenaline pumping in her veins and racing for Jacob's position.

He started at her presence, cloak dissipating as she slipped into cover. Jacob had worked fast, positioning the explosives at the base of the tank and connecting hoses. He was ready to move to the frigate, but Shepard held up her hand to halt his movements.

"You'll be too exposed out there, trying to access that panel. I need another minute or two for my cloak to recharge, and I'll do it."

"Commander, I can –"

"I'm better at tech than you, Jacob." She mirrored his frown. "Do I need to pull rank?"

"No, ma'am."

"Good. Then secure the explosives while we wait."

Shepard watched as he worked around the base of the tank, her eyes on either flank, watching the progress of the batarian-geth army as they continued to press her squad. Given the amount of biotic fireworks lighting up the landing pad, Shepard suspected they were low on clips. She suppressed a heavy sigh and ignored the blood pounding in her ears. All they needed to do was disable the landing pad, and if they could stay alive long enough to complete that objective, she could die reasonably satisfied.

"Explosives secured, ma'am."

"Okay then," Shepard stated. "Cover me."

Her vision wavered as she activated her cloak and moved quickly to the frigate. As she suspected, no guards were posted; the enemy's attentions focused on her small squad. She pried the panel open with slight difficulty, working fast and securing the explosives in place. Just as she had thrown the access panel back into place, a squad of batarian troopers tromped down the gangway onto the landing pad. Cursing inwardly, the commander raced back toward Jacob's position behind the fuel tank.

"Orders, Commander?" Jacob asked, as he crouched next to her, shotgun at the ready.

"The plan hasn't changed. We need to move to cover and clear the blast radius. With both the frigate and the fuel tank, it's going to be big."

Jacob jerked his head to the side. "What about there?"

Shepard followed his line of sight, noting empty space between the landing pad and retaining wall, more bland metallic paneling working to keep the hot, red sand of the moon at bay. She surveyed the area near their position, and finding nothing else suitable, nodded.

"It'll have to do." She clapped him on the back. "Move."

They scurried across the open area, jumping into cover behind a small grouping of crates. Shepard swore softly as her head slammed against the metal paneling of the restraining wall, and Jacob shot her a curious look. She waved him off, adjusting her weight and huddling next to the crate.

"Blow it."

She felt the thundering explosion before she heard it, the base of the landing pad shuddering beneath the force of the blast. A second explosion rocked her senses, sending a burst of static through her comm. Pinpricks of light colored her vision as the crate rattled behind her, still trembling as the frigate dissolved into flames. Debris rained down and she and Jacob tried futilely to shield themselves, bits of hot metal falling like ragged hail upon them. Jacob's barrier flickered as debris pelted him, and he did his best to sink deeper into cover.

The echo of silence reigned momentarily as Shepard gathered her wits, the static on the comm. disappearing. She poked her head up cautiously, taking in the damage they had wrought. The frigate lay in ruins, metal sheared apart and spread across the landing pad. The remains of the fuel tank smoldered in the haze, sooty clouds billowing upward and licking the sky. Shepard allowed herself a tiny smile and turned her attention back to Jacob.

"One more tank to go. Ready to move?"

His eyes met hers, glittering with pain, and Shepard finally noticed the blood trickling through his fingers that gripped his left side.

"Jacob!"

She moved closer to him, omni-tool scanning his injury. She pulled his hand away, frowning at the blood pooling on the ground. A piece of shrapnel, about the size of her hand, was lodged in his left side. She met his eyes briefly, her determination reflected on his face, and she pulled. The debris came out easily, but Jacob failed to suppress a wince.

Shepard tossed the shrapnel aside and quickly injected a shot of medigel. His body seemed to slump further as the medication took hold, but by the look on his face, the pain was still present. Shepard looked him over as the comm. crackled in her ear.

"Commander?" Kaidan's urgent voice sounded over the distant thrum of gunfire. "Shepard, we need to pull back. They're closing fast on our position and we're running low on clips. Do you read?"

"Affirmative Kaidan," Her voice was soft as she looked to Jacob's injured form. "Pull your team back to the shuttle. Jacob and I will cover you."

"Negative, Shepard. I'm not leaving without you."

The commander checked her ammo counter and readied her widow. She watched through the scope as enemy squads flanked their position, cutting them off from her team. They streamed past, still unaware of Shepard and her injured officer's presence. That would change as soon as she opened fire.

"We're cut off, Kaidan, and Jacob's been injured. Get everyone out while you still can."

"Shepard no." Her heart broke at the sound of his voice and she could imagine the mirth draining from his eyes. "I can't lose you again."

"I'm sorry, Kaidan." She aligned the crosshairs of her scope and fired.


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: I was feeling nice to so I decided to post early. As always, thanks to my beta, drakontion, for all her help and to everyone following along!

Chapter 38

Shepard slumped down against the container as she let loose with her last grenade. Enemy fire pelted against her cover, each impact reverberating down her spine, and she tossed the launcher aside. Switching to her cannon she examined Jacob, still bleeding heavily from his wound. She had given him another dose of medigel, but it had done nothing to stem the flow of blood. The two sat behind the crate, comfortable as tired, old comrades despite the firepower raining down on their position. Shepard only wished she could've blown the third fuel tank before getting stuck in this situation.

"Leave me, Commander." Jacob's voice was faint, rough. He had used what little energy he had left to prop himself up against the crate, shotgun cradled in his hands.

Shepard shook her head, popping off a few shots at a squad of batarians that had gotten too close. They scattered, breaking for cover, and Shepard smiled softly. One good thing about their position was the open ground between them and the enemy. The batarians and geth would need to cross at least forty feet without hope of decent cover if they came head-on. As long as her ammo held out, so could she.

"Nah. I like it here."

Jacob's stilted laugh turned into a cough, his body jerking roughly against the pain.

"Hold still," Shepard ordered, irritated by the hitch in her voice.

She pushed aside the memory of Kaidan and his team as they pulled back, his voice harsh, but recognizable amidst the frenzy of their retreat. Miranda had taken charge, ordering Grunt to restrain him and drag Kaidan along, Garrus and Mordin covering the rear as Miranda unlocked the control room doors. Shepard had let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding once they made it inside. What had felt like hours ago had, in reality, only just happened. She wouldn't feel relieved until she saw their shuttle take off in the distance.

The commander switched to her widow, preferring to save her cannon until the hostiles grew closer. She activated her cloak, sighted, and fired, taking out a destroyer charging down the line. She chambered another round and repeated the process. It appeared the enemy was forcing their advance.

She cringed at a burst of energy at the far end of the landing pad, the whine of thrusters as the last frigate powered up. Shepard swore, knowing she had failed in her mission, knowing that the Kodiak was now at risk. She mentally berated herself and took down another charging geth.

"Jacob, how's the pain." She adjusted her scope, but when no answer was forthcoming, turned her attention toward her officer.

Jacob lie still, skin ashen, eyes dull. Shepard swore again and shifted her position, switching on her omni-tool to scan his body. She relaxed slightly when the bio-readout came back positive, life signs weak but present and injected yet another dose of medigel into his system. His eyes fluttered and he coughed again, pain deepening the frown on his face. Blood continued to pool on the ground beneath him, but still he clung to his shotgun.

"Hang in there, Jacob."

He coughed once more. "Yes, ma'am."

Shepard turned back to the field of engagement, noting with discouragement that the batarian and geth forces were closing on their position, continuing to move forward on the flank while point drew her fire. She sighed again and sighted down her scope, accepting the inevitable.

Her shot cracked through the air, disappearing into the thunder from above. She watched in surprised fascination as the enemy frigate burst into flames, tumbling back onto the landing pad from which it had only just escaped. She overcame her astonishment, sinking back down into cover as she gazed overhead. There, peeling through the red haze above her, were her reinforcements.

Alliance shuttles dropped to the ground, thrusters scattering the red dust of the moon and whipping up gritty clouds. Marines, energetic and welcome, hopped out of the hold, taking up position on the rise behind the retaining wall. The sound of Alliance gunfire had never been more welcoming.

Rachni ships shot by overhead, bypassing the main assault and moving to the rear. The oddly shaped ships landed quickly, the monstrous creatures pouring out and burrowing into the sand. Shepard couldn't help but smile maniacally when she heard Wrex's voice over the comm., barking orders to his troops as they deployed with the rachni across the way.

"Commander Shepard, do you read? This is Lieutenant Banks from the fifty-third infantry sent in to provide assistance."

The commander ducked as a shot zipped by, the familiar heat of its passing all too near. "This is Shepard. It's good to hear your voice, Banks."

"Roger that, Commander."

Shepard glanced down at Jacob's still form and keyed her radio. "Banks, I've got wounded. Tell me you have a medic handy."

"Consider it done, ma'am. Corpsman en route."

Shepard turned her head as another loud explosion rocked the landing pad. She shook her head ruefully as she heard Grunt's dark laughter through the comm., barking wildly as he prepared another concussive blast. It seemed her team hadn't followed orders after all.

"Grunt, target our flank. They've got Shepard cornered." Miranda ordered, her voice calm and fluid amidst the grinding chaos of the field. "Garrus and Mordin, take up your positions. Alenko, you're with me."

Shepard shifted her position, making way for the medic now clambering down the retaining wall. Surprised at his youth, she watched with concerned eyes as he examined Jacob. "How is he?"

The corpsman barely met her eyes, working to patch the damage from the debris. He shook his head. "He needs a med evac, ma'am. Won't last much longer in this." He gestured to the chaos surrounding them.

Shepard's gaze sharpened as she readied her widow once more. "Do it."

She ignored him after that, unwilling to watch the medic tend to Jacob's wounds. Instead, she added her fire to that of the reinforcements, pinching the enemy forces between their own. Rachni burst force from beneath the metal paneling, surprising the batarians before overwhelming them. Geth continued their push forward with the persistence of the uncaring, ranks falling within the crossfire. What had once been a hopeless situation had turned into a rout, a turkey shoot with the enemy forces stuck on the ruined landing pad.

Shepard maintained position until she could see the krogan and rachni forces ahead of her, the last of the geth falling to their onslaught. The landing pad smoldered, littered with both organic and inorganic debris. She stood, carefully surveying her surroundings, returning her widow to its case as she readied her cannon. A shout from across the field caught her attention, and she saw an armored figure rushing toward her location.

The commander stilled, relief flooding her veins. Kaidan raced toward her, arms flung out like a madman, embracing her without thought for protocol or danger. Her armor clattered against his as he pulled her against him, and she allowed herself a moment of peace amidst the smoking ruins of the industrial complex.

Memory flooded back and she tensed, her skin itching beneath her armor. "I gave you an order, Kaidan."

He pulled back from her, eyes glittering darkly and she suppressed the urge to soothe him. They were, after all, still in a battle zone with a Reaper war raging overhead. "Shepard?"

"I ordered you to fall back. Why didn't you fall back?" Her voice rose at the last, anger and frustration spilling out as the remains of her adrenaline drained away.

He shook his head, calm. Serene. "I'm not going to lose you. Not again, Shepard."

She frowned, shifting awkwardly as the Alliance marines walked the perimeter, securing their location. She needed to maintain her status as Commander, her authority, and took a step back from Kaidan as she recognized this. Gathering her wits she met his eyes once more.

"Okay," she nodded.

"Okay?" A hint of mirth returned to those dark, lustrous eyes.

"C'mon," she gestured across the landing pad. "Let's go see if we can't find Wrex."

It didn't take nearly as long as she had suspected, the krogan leader's voice booming above the din. He spied her and pushed past his men, barreling through a group of rachni to her side before clasping her in a violently affectionate embrace. Shepard took it with good grace, pounding him on his shoulder as her air supply was cut short. He released her just as quickly, throwing the commander off balance and against Kaidan.

"Shepard, my friend!" Wrex exclaimed, and cuffed Kaidan playfully on the shoulder, nearly knocking him over yet again. "You've brought us a battle worthy of the krogan."

Shepard nodded, still trying to get her breath back. "Told you I would."

He barked another sharp laugh and surveyed the scene before him. Humans, krogan, and rachni mulled around the area, the Alliance taking up positions along the perimeter while the krogan finished off the injured and dying. Apparently, no prisoners were going to be taken on this one. A rachni warrior skittered by and Shepard had to repress the urge to shoot it.

A quiet calm settled over her, the battle now over. Shepard opened her mouth to discuss Wrex's arrival, but before she could form the words, a deep rumbling surged forth from underground.

"What was that?" she asked.

Kaidan shook his head and activated his omni-tool. "I don't know."

Another deep rumble sounded from beneath them, the metal plating on which they stood trembling from the force. Shepard shot Kaidan a worried look as his eyes met hers, and she shifted slightly. A plume of dirt shot up on her left, red sands reaching toward the hazy sky as the metallic flooring traveled haphazardly through the air. A second plume of dirt shot up on her right, grainy sands obscuring her view of the Alliance LZ. Kaidan grabbed her arm and ran, Wrex following them toward the control room entrance, but another rumble deep beneath the earth surged forth, knocking all three down.

Shepard and Kaidan were sent tumbling as the ground beneath them swelled, the metal paneling that was once sturdy flooring shifting wildly upon the red sands. They were tossed aside by the force of the anomaly like pyjacks by a varren. Wrex landed opposite them, his lumbering form scuffed and dingy as he fought to stand.

"Quick," Shepard yelled above the raging tempest rising up before them. She grabbed Kaidan's hand and pulled, shouting to Wrex. "Get to the control room."

She ran, half-pulling, half-dragging Kaidan behind her, looking over her shoulder as Wrex followed their lead. Red sands tumbled down a monstrous form as it rose up from beneath the landing pad, red light arcing through the shadows as it grew ever taller. Shepard swallowed the fear pervading her limbs, ignored the sweat pouring down her face, and pushed forward, the ground unsteady and shifting beneath her feet.

She paused at the doorway, shuffling people inside, watching the fear on their faces as they fought to control panic. She could barely make out the forms of rachni as they tried to burrow into the ground, only to be shot up from beneath by the rising monstrosity. A few krogan took aim, firing pointlessly into the chaos, their projectiles swallowed by the shifting sands. Shepard watched in horror and awe as the anomaly took form before her. She could have wept at the irony.

Red-hot metal extremities held it upright, claw-like appendages grasping at the ground and scattering the metal paneling. Red arcs of light danced across its form, lit from within by a blue glow. Eyes, oversized and piercing scanned the field, finally settling on Shepard as she stood immobilized by the door. The red lighting crackled ominously between the Reaper's four eyes and the commander slammed her hand down on the console, locking to door for what little good it would do.

"_What_ was that?" Wrex thundered.

Shepard shook her head, still speechless.

"I looked like some kind of batarian Reaper." Kaidan supplied helpfully, his eyes searching Shepard's.

She pursed her lips in thought. "We're going to need aerial support. I know our ground forces are strong, but that thing'll tear them apart in minutes."

The words had only escaped from her mouth when there was a horrendous screeching from overhead and the ceiling caved in, Reaper appendages searching the control room and crushing anything organic, or inorganic, in their way. Shepard swore foully, accessing the console to once more unlock the door. The crowd surged, slipping out the other exit and down the hall. Those who remained and were able, raced out the exit to the ruined landing pad, the Reaper weaving to and fro, its appendages flailing erratically.

Shepard keyed her radio. "Normandy, do you read? Commander Shepard to Citadel fleet, do you read?"

A burst of static filled her earpiece as she raced across the field, Kaidan and Wrex following behind her. They reached the retaining wall, the Alliance marines shifting to haul them up onto the rise. She crouched down behind part of the complex's metal piping, and radioed again.

"Normandy here. Good to hear your voice, Commander."

"Joker, we need aerial support. Damn batarians turned Reaper on us."

"Holy shit, Shepard. We're a little busy up here, you know, death by Harbinger and all."

"Joker!"

"Oh no we're fine. Thanks for asking. Not to worry, though. Evans here will relay your request."

Kaidan turned from the Reaper and met her eyes. She shook her head. "The Normandy's passing along our request, but they've still got their own problems. We can't wait for help. It will tear the ground out from under us unless we stop it now."

"You have a plan, Commander?" Kaidan raised an eyebrow.

Shepard shot him a wicked smile, relief flooding her veins as she saw the rest of her team rushing to cover beyond the rise. Miranda nodded curtly in her direction before throwing a warp field at the Reaper. Garrus unloaded with his sniper rifle, able to hit the Reaper's weak points. Grunt teamed up with Wrex and the two launched concussive blasts at the monstrosity, but still it remained unfazed. The batarian Reaper continued to tear at the ruins of the landing pad, ground collapsing beside it, debris sparking violently as it rained down on the ground teams. Shepard noted the vaporous haze rolling off the Reaper's armament, red-hot from volcanic activity beneath the moon's surface, and smiled.

"Banks to Commander Shepard. Do you copy?"

"I'm here, Banks."

"We're not getting any penetration. Its kinetic barriers are too powerful."

"Have your men maintain fire, Banks. I'm working to resolve the situation as we speak."

"Roger, Commander. Per your order."

Plumes of dust shot up over the rise on their six, flanking the Alliance LZ. Shepard swore, the implications churning her gut. She heard a shout to her left, marines and krogan moving to intercept hostiles approaching their flank. Turning to Kaidan she almost winced at the look on his face.

"They've been modified," he said, his face blank beneath a dusty helmet.

"What?" Shepard followed his line of sight, almost cringing when she saw what approached.

Batarians, modified with synthetic technologies, crossed the sandy rise toward them. Armor, once bright, was dulled and covered in sand, grafted directly onto batarian bodies. Dozens approached on foot, each armed with something resembling a geth pulse rifle. Streams of light shot across the field as they opened fire, pushing forward with the mindlessness of husks.

Shepard turned her attention to their right flank where more plumes of dust shot toward the red sky. She positioned herself on the rise and peered over, swallowing frustration as she witnessed the modified batarians crawling up from the ground. She pulled her widow from its casing and chambered a round, Kaidan sliding up the rise beside her. He nodded, eyes still sparkling darkly.

"Shepard to Legion. Do you copy?"

"Affirmative, Shepard-Commander."

"Can you get a fix on my location?"

"Affirmative."

Shepard sighted down her scope and aligned the crosshairs, waiting for the modified batarian to move into range. She fired, knocking it back and slowing its progress, but not halting it.

"Legion, can you redirect some of the bunker's energy reserves toward my location. I have some shields I need knocked out."

"Affirmative, Shepard-Commander. Re-routing."

Shepard frowned, focusing on the approaching batarians. She ducked as a one opened fire, the phasic slug blasting just over the top of her head. Kaidan let loose with an overload followed by a short, controlled burst of fire. The modified batarian stopped dead in its tracks, eyes still bright and glowing. Shepard chambered another found and fired, ignoring the splatter of brains on the sand and the pain in her shoulder.

She reloaded, grains of sand trickling down her armor as Kaidan shifted on the rise beside her. She resumed her position, readying her rifle when she noticed a pause in enemy movements. It appeared the batarians had become stuck, the red sands gripping their legs and preventing forward momentum. Shepard adjusted the settings on her scope to get a better look.

Rachni warriors burst forth from beneath the ground, claws shredding the modified batarians. The insectoid beings moved through the batarian ranks, cutting a bloody swath through the enemy and turning the sands to mud. Shepard heard Kaidan heave a sigh of relief as he continued to fire on those batarians still moving.

"Shepard-Commander. Sub-systems re-routed." Legion's voice announced through her comm. "Activating energy transfer."

Shepard nodded, the ground rumbling beneath her as the Reaper continued to attack the surrounding ground forces. The commander watched as suicidal krogan flew into a berserker rage and charged the behemoth, only to be torn asunder or charred by the scorching metal. She could hear Wrex and Miranda directing their squads, organizing the nearby teams, Lieutenant Banks rallying his men to continue the assault. Not one of them seemed to truly know what would happen.

Her shields flared bright blue and died, Kaidan's doing likewise and she heard him mutter a curse.

"Shepard," he slid down the rise to her side. "My kinetic barriers have failed. Yours too?"

The commander nodded. "Legion redirected some of the dark energy flow from 98R."

"What?" Kaidan wore an incredulous expression under his helmet, eyes wide and surprised that she would appear so calm.

"It was necessary to bring down the Reaper's shields."

"Commander Shepard?" Banks' voice filtered through her comm., his apprehension obvious. "Reaper kinetic barriers are down, but so are ours."

She keyed her mic. "Never mind that, Lieutenant. Continue the assault. Load armor-piercing rounds and go for the eyes."

Kaidan shot her a questioning look and she gestured toward Miranda's position next to the restraining wall. They raced across the sand, ducking and dodging as the Reaper's appendages whipped wildly around them. The sounds of combat could still be heard on their six, the occasional burst of a pulse rifle, the cry of the rachni as it echoed through the air.

The commander shuffled through the sand, squatting at Miranda's side. Her XO spared her a cursory glance, shifting her position to make room before launching a warp field.

"Commander."

"Report."

"Yes, I disobeyed a direct order, and if I had followed it we'd be off this bloody planet by now." She frowned, angrily unloading a clip into the Reaper.

The massive being continued its assault, undaunted by small arms fire. Shepard sighted down her scope, adjusting the settings again, and concentrating on her aim. The Reaper paused, allowing her a moment of clarity with which to open fire. Sparks shot out of its eye as her round hit home, and she settled back to reload.

"From what I can tell, everyone's shields are down." Miranda stated. "I assume you and Legion had something to do with that?"

Shepard nodded curtly, unloading another round into the Reaper. Kaidan crouched beside her, discharging an overload.

"Shields against a Reaper are overrated." Shepard stated bluntly. "It would've ripped through them in a second."

"So what do you suggest?"

The squad sunk further into cover as a Reaper appendage whipped by overhead, the hiss of hot metal against the wind buzzing loudly in her ears. Shepard felt its heat even beneath her armor and she bit her lip in thought, her mind working furiously.

"Miranda, get Mordin and Garrus up here."

She frowned but complied with Shepard's orders. The commander switched on her 'tool, yellow light dim against the red haze of the moon. She caught Kaidan's attention and motioned Garrus, Mordin, and Miranda over. They huddled in a circle, bodies tight to the ground lest the Reaper strike from above. She heard their omni-tools _ping_ as she sent them her information on the shielding and Preying Mouth viruses. Almost as one they looked to her with understanding.

"Garrus? Mordin? I need you two to deliver the shielding virus while Miranda and I deploy the Preying Mouth."

"And me?" Kaidan asked.

"I need you to hijack a shuttle."


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all, sadly.

Chapter 39

Chaos.

Shepard could think of no word more descriptive for the scene her eyes beheld. The batarian Reaper continued to pull itself free from the ground, the landing pad collapsing as soldiers scurried to clear the field. Red-hot appendages swept back and forth, sweeping the length of their perimeter and obliterating anything in their path. Rachni tore through the ranks of modified batarians, but still they pressed forward. Krogan assisted with the attack, battle hardened and gritty, strangely comfortable on the moon's volcanic surface.

The commander blinked as a bead of sweat dripped down her brow, tickling and itching as it went. She turned toward Kaidan who crouched beside her, awaiting her orders before moving from cover. Miranda and Garrus had already changed position, weaving through the remnants of industrial piping, demolished by the Reaper's initial blows. They were only yards away from their objective, and Shepard felt her blood boil with adrenaline.

"Almost there, Commander." Miranda's voice trickled through the comm., doing little to assuage Shepard's nerves. "Objective in sight."

A shadow fell upon their small group and Shepard ducked further into cover just as the Reaper appendage whipped by overhead. She ignored the heat coming off it, the violent burst of wind as it passed, turning her attention once more to her two officers.

In the distance she saw Miranda dive into cover, her usual poise abandoned momentarily for safety's sake. Garrus followed by a few yards, the distance between them slowly shortening. Shepard breathed deeply, forcing her body to remain still as she watched, the only thing she could do at the moment. She released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as Garrus ducked into cover beside Miranda, his confirmation over her radio a relief.

"We're in position, Shepard." Garrus stated. "Ready to deploy viruses on our end."

"Good," Shepard nodded even though they couldn't see her. "Deploy viruses."

"Back-up useful," Mordin quipped. "However, possible unnecessary use of resources. Potentially wasteful."

The commander turned her head slowly and shifted to view Mordin. The elder salarian crouched next to her, eyes peering across the field to their viral counterparts. His omni-tool flickered brightly, a steady stream of data pouring down his display.

"You don't approve?"

He blinked and met her gaze. "Approval not necessary. Outcome unknown. Better to utilize dual deployment for consistency purposes."

Shepard mentally shrugged, choosing instead to switch on her own omni-tool. "Whatever you say, Mordin. Ready?"

"Ready." He blinked again, a wry smile creasing his long face. "Glad we agree."

"Miranda, we're deploying viruses now."

The yellow light of her 'tool flickered against her armor, dusty and scratched and in desperate need of a vigorous scrubbing. She ducked down again as another appendage screamed by overhead, smashing a network of piping on their flank. The sound was muffled through her helmet, but Shepard still cringed as the rough metal squealed and ground together. She made a mental note to adjust the harmonics on her earpiece.

"Shepard?"

She shook her head and turned awkwardly to meet Kaidan's questioning face. "Hold tight. I'll let you know when we're ready."

He nodded, frowning as he checked the ammo count on his pistol. She watched him a moment longer before turning back to her omni-tool, the readouts flashing ominously. The commander punched in a series of commands, correcting errors in calibration, and tried again. EDI had made such a task look effortless on the Normandy. Too bad they couldn't use her now.

"Twenty percent complete, Shepard." Miranda's voice rang through the comm.

"I've got twenty-five." Garrus stated, "and counting."

Shepard peered over their cover and studied the crumbling landing pad. Miranda and Garrus were far enough away from it for the moment, but still close enough for the virus to take hold. Frowning, she pulled out her widow and sighted down the scope, surveying their position.

A flash of light caught her attention, armor flashing against the red sand. She adjusted her scope, cranking it to the highest setting before resuming her scan. Again a flicker of light caught her eye and she swore.

"Garrus! Miranda! You've got incoming on your six! Make ready."

She heard Garrus grumble through the comm. as he readied his rifle. Staccato gunfire echoed across the field before a fireburst lit up their position, bright sparks dancing momentarily before being snuffed out. The report of an SMG could be heard above the din, its signature sound clearly belonging to Miranda. Shepard shot a worried glance at Kaidan before sighting down her scope once more.

"Garrus is hit," Miranda cried, her usual calm demeanor strained.

Shepard keyed her mic. "Wrex, I need your krogan to move to Miranda's position and take out those batarians."

"As you say, Shepard." He rumbled. "Krogan incoming."

"Banks, I need a medic on our right flank." Kaidan extended his arm toward Shepard, his omni-tool displaying the readout of the battlefield. "Sector 5 Alpha."

"Roger that, Commander Shepard. Corpsman en route."

Shepard turned her attention back to Miranda's position briefly before Mordin interrupted her.

"Viral output at fifty percent. Reaper firewalls problematic."

The commander pursed her lips, knowing what was coming next. She turned to Kaidan and, meeting his eyes, nodded succinctly. "You're up, Kaidan."

His dark eyes held hers a moment longer before he shot out of cover, dashing across the sandy rise toward the Alliance LZ. She watched him go, his back to her as he struggled to maintain his footing. Red dust whirled around his figure, wind and heat battering his frame as he grew more and more distant in her vision. She finally turned back around, focusing her attention on her omni-tool after he disappeared over the rise.

"I'm at forty percent, Mordin." She met the doctor's gaze, his large eyes unblinking. "The firewalls are problematic."

A smile tugged at the corners of Mordin's mouth, but he said nothing, covering his head protectively as an appendage whipped by. Shepard ignored the heat and wind as she poked her head out of cover. The Reaper was slowly making progress, its mammoth form inching forth from the earth. The commander found herself hoping they would have enough time to seriously damage, or even destroy it, before it got loose. Given her mediocre hacking ability, however, she doubted it was possible.

"I'm at the shuttle, Shepard." Kaidan's voice over the comm. interrupted her dark thoughts. "Proceeding to bypass main controls."

A large explosion at the edge of her vision caught her attention. Grunt laughed maniacally through the comm. as he readied another concussive blast, krogan charging the line from Miranda and Garrus' position.

"Flammable. Or inflammable." Mordin quipped. "Either way works."

Shepard shot him an incredulous look. "What?"

"Draws attention away from virus. Any distraction good."

Shepard checked her omni-tool as Grunt and his team let loose with another blast, fireworks sparking brightly in the soot-choked haze. The readout was at sixty percent, firewalls still holding.

"Miranda," Shepard barked. "What's your status?"

She heard the ghost of an echo as an SMG fireburst resounded through the ruined outbuildings, the metal piping coiled and twisted into almost unrecognizable forms. Thunder raged on the wrecked landing pad, sands and metal paneling shifting wildly as the Reaper twisted within. Shepard swore. The Reaper would not need much more time before it was free.

"Viral deployment at fifty percent, Commander." Miranda reported, her voice harsh. "I'm having a bit of interference. The batarians are not cooperating."

"Garrus?"

"Took a concussive blast. The corpsman moved him to a makeshift aid station. He was still alive last time I saw him, if only barely."

Shepard pushed back the anxiety threatening to overwhelm her senses, focusing instead on hacking the Reaper. She looked to Mordin who nodded subtly, his own omni-tool flashing brightly against their cover. Data streamed down her readout and she worked furiously to keep up with it, her fingers flying across the interface, adjusting settings as needed. She was no match for the Reaper AI, she knew this, but still she had to try.

"I'm in, Shepard." Kaidan reported through a burst of static. "Establishing remote connection now."

"Seventy-five percent complete." Mordin stated, his eyes still glued to his omni-tool. "Reaper firewalls still problematic."

Another blast of heat buffeted them as a Reaper appendage whined wildly by. Shepard ignored the urge to crouch further into cover knowing there was no point. She would worry once it started scouring the ground for targets rather than trying to maintain its balance and gain a foothold in loose sand.

Impatience pumped through her veins as her omni-tool _pinged_; seventy-percent complete. "Get your ass moving, Kaidan. I need that shuttle."

"Working on it, ma'am. Five more minutes."

Shepard swore again, unlatching her widow from its casing. She readjusted the sights, targeting the top left of the Reaper's four eyes. As much as she despised batarians, they were nothing compared to this hideous monstrosity.

The Reaper sparked continuously, Alliance gunfire ricocheting off its metallic hide. She could hear Banks' voice as background noise, a consistent stream of profanity as he encouraged his men and berated the enemy. Her old DI probably would've appreciated that. She crooked a wry smile and fired, a flash of fire sparking from the Reaper's eye.

Another blast lit of her field of vision, fireburst exploding off her right flank. She zeroed in on the position, noting a band of krogan and rachni violently engaged with a squad of modified batarians. She saw Grunt charging into the fray, Miranda providing suppressing fire.

"Connection established, Shepard." Kaidan reported, and Shepard ignored the surge of relief she felt at hearing his voice. "I'm on my way back."

She sighted and fired another time, relishing the pain in her shoulder as a welcome distraction. Mordin clucked beside her, intelligent eyes alight with satisfaction.

"Download complete." He nodded curtly. "Shielding virus deployed."

"Good," Shepard nodded, if only to herself. She glanced down at her omni-tool's readout; eighty percent.

The ground rumbled beneath her, sands heaving and shifting under her weight. A deafening thunder echoed through the ruined field, grinding, screeching as the Reaper broke free from the earth. Kaidan crested the rise amidst the maelstrom, moving swiftly towards her position and running awkwardly in the shifting sands. A bolt of panic shot through her system as Shepard felt a blast of heat whip across her body. She opened her mouth to warn him, but Kaidan saw too late the appendage bearing down on him.

He dove to the ground, but was brushed aside by the red-hot appendage. The commander watched in horror as Kaidan was flung mercilessly across the sand, his body limp as it rolled down the rise, stopping not ten feet from her. Shepard burst out of cover, crouching low and skittering along the loose sand. She ignored the sounds of battle behind her, the curses of the Alliance lieutenant on the radio, the haunting cries of the rachni in the distance; her thoughts were only for his safety.

She crashed to the ground, rolling his body over and scanning him with her omni-tool. His armor was dented and scorched and she winced at the ragged gash on the right side of his chest plate. A breath she didn't know she'd been holding escaped when the bio-readouts came back positive. Shepard punched in a series of commands and injected Kaidan with a dose of medigel, all the while trying to control the panic slithering up her spine.

She pressed a hand to his helmet, careful to keep him still, wishing that she could feel his warm skin beneath her touch. Dark eyes fluttered beneath his visor and he shifted slightly as red sand whipped by on a gust of hot wind. Slowly, in a moment that seemed to last forever, his eyes focused on hers and she could have wept with relief.

"Shepard."

Reality came crashing back, the noise of the battlefield once more registering in the commander's mind. She checked the bio-readout of her omni-tool again, and satisfied for the time being, pulled Kaidan into cover with her. Shepard propped him up next to Mordin, the doctor scanning him once more, an occasional clucking sound escaping from his thin lips.

"Clipped by Reaper." Mordin announced. "Minimal biological damage. Recommend patching suit."

"I'll get right on that," he rasped as the doctor continued to scan him.

"Kaidan, are you able to access remote shuttle controls?" Shepard hadn't meant to sound so callous, but she had a job to complete.

He nodded, wincing as he placed a gloved hand on his helmet. "Yeah. I can do that."

Shepard eyed her omni-tool again, the readout reporting ninety percent completion. "Do it. Now."

He moved slowly at first, shifting his arm awkwardly to access his omni-tool as Mordin worked to mend his armor. Shepard wrenched her attention away from him as the ground rumbled again and peered carefully out of cover.

The Reaper had broken free of its earthly bindings, but because of its enormous mass, still struggled to remain upright. Sparks continued to flicker against its heated hull, flaring brightly on occasion when either Grunt or Wrex launched an explosive blast.

A soft whine sounded from overhead and Shepard looked up to see the familiar form of a UT-47 grace the hazy sky. Maneuvering thrusters fired as it climbed ever higher, moving into position over the ruined landing pad, centered over the Reaper's mammoth form.

"Do it now, Kaidan."

He grunted in acknowledgement, fingers flying over the controls of his omni-tool. Shepard watched as the Reaper flailed below, its appendages whipping wildly across the remnants of another outbuilding. Metal screeched, twisting into bizarre shapes, made all the more malleable by the heat radiating off the Reaper.

Another whine sounded through the sky as the shuttle slowly descended, gears grinding with sand as the emergency doors to the power supply opened. A slight burst of sparks trickled out, followed by a thick blue liquid, falling gracefully through the air and coating the Reaper in a viscous fluid.

An ear-splitting shriek thundered throughout the field, harsh and deafening as it echoed across the plains. The Reaper struggled as the coolant slid across its hull, its movements growing ever more erratic. Appendages flailed uncontrollably, violently impacting the earth. Ground forces scurried across the field, eager to escape the reach of the crazed synthetic. Shepard watched through her scope in morbid fascination as thin lines, delicate as webbing, raced across the Reaper's metallic hull. Its armor had begun to crack.

"Concentrate fire!" Shepard ordered, and was answered with the welcome echo of multiple projectiles.

Firebursts lit of the landing pad, sparks flying from the Reaper's hull. Still it continued to struggle, appendages red-hot and violently erratic in their movements. It managed to pull itself upright, armor cracking like eggshells and flaking off.

"Kaidan, do you still have control of the shuttle?"

"Yes, Shepard. What do you need?"

She turned to him and smiled wickedly. "I need you to crash it."

He cocked his head, a crooked smile on a tired face. "Can do, Commander."

A blue glow lit up the hazy sky as the maneuvering thrusters fired once more. The UT-47 veered awkwardly to the left, then back to the right before plummeting violently from the sky. The Reaper flung an appendage recklessly toward the shuttle, but gravity had taken hold and the Kodiak plunged into the Reaper, erupting in a spectacular display of carnage.

Fires lit up the hazy sky, burning a bright white before being quickly snuffed out, the blast scattering debris across the ruined landing pad. Smoke, dark and roiling, billowed through the air, barely concealing the Reaper's appendages as they continued to wave erratically in its death throes.

Shepard paused, glancing down as her omni-tool _pinged_; one hundred percent. She turned her attention back to the field of engagement, steadying her breath as the movements of the Reaper slowly subsided. Appendages drooped, tips waving aimlessly before brushing the ground. Sparks continued to flash brightly even as the Reaper's eyes grew dull.

She turned to Kaidan and met his eyes, sparkling with excitement and mirth underneath his dusty helmet. They had done it.

O o O o O o O

Shepard wove through the ranks of injured on the crew deck, making her way into medical. Dr. Chakwas had volunteered the Normandy for clean-up duty, treating some of the wounded soldiers from the moon and those they were able to pick up in survival pods. The commander nodded curtly to them as she passed, uncomfortable with the acknowledgement they offered her. She was no longer Alliance. She no longer deserved their salutes, but that tiny fact didn't seem to stop them.

Kaidan waited for her next to the examination table, Garrus' prone form lying atop it. His armor was gone, stuffed away in one of the doctor's lockers, no doubt, and what Shepard could see of his body was wrapped in bandages. The turian pulled his bed sheet up roughly, mandibles barely twitching.

"You don't want to see me, Commander, naked as the day I was born." He coughed. "Might be too much for you."

She sidled up next to Kaidan, her shoulders brushing softly against his. "Hell, Garrus. You were always too much for me."

He coughed again, sputtering. "Torturing me never gets old, does it Shepard."

A soft smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "I'll leave you to rest Garrus – just wanted to see how you're doing."

His mandibles twitched again, trembling beneath the bandages on his face, eyes twinkling as he nodded. Shepard left his side, leaving Kaidan to watch over him, and maneuvered through the medics to find Chakwas. The doctor wiped her hands on a towel as Shepard approached, expertly tossing it into a biohazard bin.

"Commander?"

"Status, Doctor?"

She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, shooting Shepard a tired look. "Medical supplies are running low and we've taken on as many survivors as we can find. A lot of them aren't injured too badly, but we have a few like Garrus and Jacob."

Shepard frowned, concern creasing her brow. "How are they?"

Chakwas bit her lower lip as she formulated an answer. "Garrus should be fine as long as his cybernetic implants hold up. He's been blown up before and survived. Jacob," she sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. His wound was pretty deep, although the corpsman did an exceptional job patching him up. I recruited him and put him to work down in the cargo hold triaging the wounded as we speak."

"So Jacob will recover?"

"He's stable for now, but his condition is still fragile and may change at any moment. I've done all I can, Commander. The rest is up to him now."

Shepard glanced around the med-lab, the normally pristine facility overcrowded with injured and spotted with blood. "What can I do to help?"

The other woman shook her head and for the first time, Shepard could clearly make out the lines of age on the doctor's face. Chakwas brushed back a silver hair and met the commander's eyes. "We've done all we can for now, Commander. The rest will just have to take care of itself."

"Okay, Doctor." Shepard bit her lip in thought. "Let me know if the situation changes."

Chakwas nodded, straightening as she turned toward her desk. "Believe me, Commander. You'll be the first to know.


	40. Chapter 40

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who followed along and left such wonderful reviews. It's been grand!

Chapter 40

Shepard surveyed the scene in the cargo hold. Medics of mixed races had set up a makeshift triage unit per Dr. Chakwas' orders. From what she could tell, Alliance soldiers were grouped on the far right, some aimlessly wandering up and down the ranks, while most appeared to be waiting for treatment. Turians and quarians took up the middle, the cargo bay fans separating out the ranks. Medics familiar with dextro DNA treated them, providing what aid the Normandy had to give. Krogan milled around on the left side, the small number gathered excitedly sharing stories of the battle, Wrex among them.

He spied her instantly and flung his arms wide in greeting. "Shepard!"

"Wrex." A crooked smile creased her face as she joined him among the circle of warriors. She stumbled forward as he slapped her on the back affectionately, suppressing a wince of pain as she tried to regain her balance. It would not do to lose face in front of the krogan now.

"We were just sharing stories of battle, of victories won against worthy foes."

"Well," Shepard drawled. "I'm happy to see you're keeping it all in perspective, Wrex."

The battlemaster roared with laughter, the others joining with him, the rumble of their amusement echoing throughout the hold and turning heads.

"What brings you to the Normandy?" She asked, looking him over. "No one looks injured."

Red eyes rolled forward to meet hers and he bared his teeth in what she supposed was a smile. "No Shepard. Those of my clan," he gestured broadly. "Those that are with me have suffered no injury. We seek transport to the Citadel."

"The Citadel?"

He nodded, enormous head dipping in an oddly graceful manner. "As leader of my clan, and those clans pledged to Urdnot, I speak for a united krogan race. I think the Council will be interested to hear what we have to say."

Shepard couldn't hide the surprise as it crossed her face. "Wrex, I never pegged you as a politician."

He chuckled lightly and nodded again. "Perhaps, Shepard. It seems we will yet see what the future holds for us. Thanks to you."

She opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted as EDI's avatar flared to life beside the elevator.

"Commander, your presence is requested in the comm. room for debriefing."

Shepard shot Wrex an apologetic look, but he waved her off, understanding, and returned to the attentions of his clan.

"Have the senior staff been notified, EDI?"

"Affirmative, Commander."

The commander nodded. "I'm on my way."

The avatar wavered slightly. "I have also taken the liberty of scheduling a second, private debriefing with Admiral Hackett and Admiral Anderson per their request. They were most insistent."

"Of course they were." Shepard heaved a sigh as the elevator doors slid closed.

O o O o O o O

The commander took a seat as Miranda and Kaidan followed her into the comm. room, the familiarity of routine offset by the absence of Jacob and Garrus. She studied their empty seats briefly before setting her mind to task. Kaidan shifted slightly in his chair as he studied the data pad in his hands. Miranda turned to Shepard with her usual calm demeanor, a hint of curiosity in her eyes as Hanson and Serviceman Goering entered the room. She immediately took the chair opposite Kaidan while Hanson appeared reluctant to sit next to Miranda.

"Ms. Goering? Mr. Hanson? Thank you for coming. I'm sure there are many other things you all would rather be doing right now, but with Jacob and Garrus out of commission it falls to us to hold the ranks." Shepard punched in a series of commands into her omni-tool before continuing. "Doctor Chakwas has been logging in quite a few hours and our medical supplies are almost exhausted. Miranda, I want you to allocate whatever resources we have to assist. Use whatever you need to. I don't care. If there's a crewmember on board with first aid training, send them to Chakwas."

Miranda nodded, making a note on her data pad.

"Also, see if we can get some sort of reimbursement from the Alliance. We're using our own medicinal stores, and we _did_ do Hackett's grunt work, after all."

"Yes, Commander." She typed in another notation on her pad. "I'm sure Commander Alenko will be available for collaboration if need be?"

Kaidan nodded, eyes still glued to his data pad. "If you think I can be of assistance, Ms. Lawson, let me know."

Miranda cocked a slender eyebrow, but shifted her attention back to the commander. "Very well. Anything else, Shepard?"

"Not at the moment. I'll inform you of changes as they come.

"Hanson, I need you to cover Jacob's workload. You're the only other person on board who knows the system as well as he does. I want an estimate on the repairs needed before we reach the Citadel - damage done, costs, materials. Everything."

"Aye, aye, ma'am." Bright eyes lit up as he switched on his omni-tool. "I already have the contact information for that Zimm fellow we worked with before. I'll see if he's available. Ms. Chambers too."

The commander cocked an inquisitive eyebrow.

"For collaborative purposes only, ma'am." Hanson added quickly.

Shepard punched in another sequence of commands and heard a soft _ping_ from Kaidan's omni-tool. "Kaidan, I'd like a report from you regarding Citadel forces and our losses during the attack. I also want specific details on all Alliance ships deployed and destroyed during the engagement."

He glanced up from his information at the last and shot her a quizzical look. "I'll see what I can do, but it'll take some time."

She nodded, but did not elaborate. There would time enough for that later. "I also want you to notify Citadel forces of their crew we've taken on board – survivors and casualties. Dr. Chakwas should have their names, ranks, and ID numbers on file."

"Evans is already working on that, Shepard. I expect his report by the end of second watch."

"Good."

"Do you need me to cover Garrus' workload too?" he asked.

Shepard frowned as she remembered Garrus' bandaged body. "No. Ms. Goering here will do that. She's almost as familiar with the batteries as Garrus is." The commander turned her attention to the woman at the end of the table. "Serviceman, I'll need reports on our current power draw, damages, repairs, and any parts needed to get us back to optimum levels. Ken and Gabby can assist. EDI is also available should you need additional information."

"Yes, ma'am." She stated smartly.

"And how is Garrus doing?" Miranda set her data pad down, a look of genuine concern on her face.

The commander pursed her lips, pushing aside the unpleasant memory of her friend's injured form. "Dr. Chakwas gave him a good prognosis. He should recover." She looked up from the table and met Miranda's eyes. "She's not so sure about Jacob, though."

A flicker of something akin to pain ghosted across Miranda's face and she turned her attention once more to the data pad as if studying it intently. "I've already arranged for him to be moved to a facility on the Citadel upon our arrival. He'll have the best medical care available."

"I'm glad to hear it, Miranda." Shepard wasn't surprised by her actions, and certainly not by the calm demeanor she displayed. Her incredible efficiency was a dead giveaway. The commander had always idly wondered if she still had feelings for Jacob. Now she knew the answer.

"Is there anything else, Commander?" Miranda asked as she looked up from her data pad again.

Shepard frowned again, thinking. "No."

"Then we'll be leaving for the Citadel soon?" Hanson asked eagerly.

"Yes. We're accompanying the bulk of Fifth Fleet on their way back to Arcturus, diverting at the Charon Relay. We depart within the hour."

"Good." Miranda stood and straightened her uniform. "If there's nothing else, Commander, I've got reports to file."

"That's all I have at present." Shepard waved her off. "Like I said, I'll let you know if the situation changes."

Miranda nodded and switched off her data pad, smoothly exiting the room. Hanson and Goering stood to leave as well, their excited shuffling overly loud as Hanson tried to push his chair in. Shepard cringed slightly as metal squealed and grated together, and Hanson abandoned the attempt, awkwardly following Goering out of the room. The commander watched as they left, slightly relieved, and Kaidan turned his full attention to her once they were alone.

"So are you going to tell me why you're so interested in these Alliance reports?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, doing her best to deflect his question. "Just a hunch."

"Something I should know?"

Shepard shot him a brilliant smile. "Don't you have work to do?"

"You aren't going to tell me are you?" He stood, a crooked smile on his face as she shook her head. "Alright then. See you tonight?"

Her smile turned wicked. "My cabin will be available for that personal debriefing I've been expecting, Commander Alenko."

Dark eyes flickered teasingly. "I'll have that on your desk by this evening, ma'am."

O o O o O o O

The soft glow of the stars held her attention, keeping her from the restful embrace of sleep. They twinkled almost playfully as they drifted by her window, adorning the ceiling of her cabin with fleeting beauty. She tilted her head to the left, admiring the view beside her, dark hair rumpled on a soft white pillow. His face was peaceful in sleep, absent of the usual care and control he carried, no lines of worry creasing his brow. Careful not to wake him, she slipped from Kaidan's arms. The chill of the room caressed her naked form as she padded softly across the floor, pausing beside her desk in thought.

The blue light of the aquarium drenched her quarters in a serene glow, imported seaweed waving to and fro as the Skald Fish weaved around and within it. Kaidan had thoughtfully reprogrammed the tank to feed the fish at routine intervals and this batch had survived longer than any other.

_Something so beautiful shouldn't stay empty, Shepard_.

She smiled at the memory as she stood before the glass casing, arms crossed in thought as she pondered the day's events. Both Tali and Reegar had survived the ground war, Reegar's team taking few casualties. He had even professed rare praise for Hanson's assistance during the mission, his technical expertise invaluable in order to maintain their safety on the pressure cooker planet. After a brief good-bye, Tali and Reegar had returned to the flotilla, en route to an unspecified destination. Shepard didn't think it would be too long before she would see them again.

The Normandy had picked up Legion hours earlier, no problems reported as his signal had remained undiscovered. It admitted to gathering organic readings on the quarians, stating the data should be useful in deciphering organic interaction and hostility toward synthetics. Shepard had decided to leave that issue alone for the time being, focusing instead on more important concerns.

Samara opted to return to asari space, her oath as a Justicar taking precedence over personal desires. She had bid Shepard a fond farewell, although the commander did not think they would meet again. She had transferred to one of the Council's cruisers filled with wounded, which left the system shortly after she boarded.

Their promise fulfilled, the rachni disappeared once more into the void.

Her meeting with Hackett and Anderson had been surprising, although because of Dholen's interference, it was audio only. She bit her lip in thought at the memory. The Alliance had offered her full reinstatement and a captaincy. No doubt a PR campaign would follow and the thought of it churned her stomach. She had had her fill of military propaganda, and being the galactic poster girl for the Alliance was not on her agenda.

The Alliance offered her what she already had, but with strings to boot. The commander had promptly turned them down without a second thought. She was a Spectre and in command of her own ship with a crew that could outperform any in the fleet. Shepard would remain a Corsair, knowing without a doubt that _this_ was where she belonged.

The rustling of bed sheets caught her attention and she saw that Kaidan had awoken despite her attempt at silence. He turned his tired gaze on her, dark eyes drinking in her bare body, and pulled the sheet from off the bed as he stood. Moving behind her, he wrapped her in his arms, the sheet covering their nakedness and sheltering the budding warmth between them. Tension eased from her body as she leaned into him, the scent of honey and summer breezes drifting on the air. They stood there for a time, watching the fish swim aimlessly, basking in the familiarity of each other's presence.

"Thank you," she whispered, reluctant to interrupt the comfortable silence.

"You're welcome."

She could hear the smile in his voice, the smoky timbre so familiar, and still so very tantalizing. She didn't feel the need to expound further. They had said all they needed to and more. He was with her, beside her, no matter the cost. No matter the danger. He would be with her all the way.

She pressed closer to the warmth rolling off him, their bodies rocking gently as if swaying to a slight breeze, the blue glow of the aquarium softly pulsing with the rhythm of the ship. His arms surrounded her, firmly yet gently hugging her form. A wave of contentment suffused her body, warmth spreading throughout her limbs, and she allowed herself the courage to hope, to enjoy the peace that he provided.

_This_ is what she had fought for.

_This_ is where she belonged.


End file.
